There Is No Spark Of Interest
by CdnJAGScribe
Summary: Harm/Lia; Animal/Meg (now!) - "You can't follow your heart when it is more confused than your head." - Lia, Harm, Meg and Animal work their way through the maze that is relationships: confusion, twists and turns reign. Exeunt Maegyn O'Bannon.
1. Chapter 1

"There Is No Spark Of Interest"

Author: Haruo Chikamori

E-mail: hhchikamori

Rating: M

Classification: Romance, Harm/Lia; Animal/Maegyn (from the looks of it... ~sigh~)

Spoilers: N/A

Summary: Harm/Lia; Animal/Maegyn - "You can't follow your heart when it is more confused than your head." - Lia, Harm, Maegyn and Animal work their way through the maze that is relationships: confusion, twists and turns reign.

DISCLAIMER: The characters Harm Rabb, Jr., Sarah "Mac" Mackenzie, Meg Austin, AJ Chegwidden, Bud Roberts, Harriet Sims-Roberts et al. belong (in concept if not name) to CBS/Bellisarius. Animal and all OC characters are the property of Heather and Hugo Chikamori. No profit is being made from this story, nor is any infringement intended.

_**JAG Headquarters, Falls Church, VA**_

"The Emmonds case is going to be a time-intensive case as AT2 Curtis Emmonds is charged with Article 87, Missing Movement. AT2 Emmonds is currently in the brig at Naval Station Norfolk. Lieutenant Commander Gracen, you have the defense, Lieutenant Commander Rabb, you have the prosecution."

Lieutenant Commander Liandra Gracen looked up at Rear Admiral AJ Chegwidden, who grinned back at her with an _I'm waiting_ posture. "Yes, sir?"

"Isn't this where you usually say I'm going to mop the floor with you, Rabb?" AJ continued to hold her gaze with that grin.

Lia inwardly cringed. "No, sir; not after the last case we had where he proceeded to thoroughly demolish what defense I had left. This time, I'm not giving him any ammunition." She proceeded to demurely fold her hands and look up innocently at Harm who appeared to be preening. Major Sarah Mackenzie was quietly trying not to laugh. The rest of the morning briefing went without further amusement as the new cases were handed out.

As they exited the board-room and were returning to their respective offices, Harm turned to Lia. "Hey, Lia, did you have anything planned tonight because if you did, I could delay the interviews until tomorrow." His eyes searched out hers as he questioned her. She looked at him with one raised eyebrow as if in query.

"Harm, you know my plans tonight are a good book, a warm tub and a warm bed."

"With someone else in it?" Harm winked at her then said "OW!" …as Mac jabbed an elbow into Harm's ribs.

"No, sorrowfully." Lia said with no amount of snark. "It's nice and quiet in my humble abode. And unfortunately, I have no personal plans of that nature…unfortunately." She stated the last again. Harm's jaw dropped as Lia winked at him and appeared to sashay into her office and closed the door in his face.

_**Pentagon, CNO's Office, Washington, DC**_

Captain Toshio "Animal" Nakamura, dressed in US Navy blues all four new stripes on his sleeves, sat restlessly in a chair waiting for the appointment to see the Chief of Naval Operations. Other navy officers passed him by with cursory glance at his ribbon rack. He could feel their gazes on him as their eyes took in the topmost ribbon and the customary look of shock. Not very many officers at the fumble fortress wore that ribbon and the fact that one of them did was a source of no amount of respect and envy. They also tried to stay the hell out of his way. It almost felt as if he was deified or was some sort of contagion.

He personally was getting sick and disgusted with the hero treatment. He wanted to be treated like a normal human being. Not only had the CNO, the last time they met, taken away his squadron, the CNO had pointed out that Animal was a live hero and that he should be out doing the talk show circuit to publicize his Medal of Honor. Animal, however, had heard from other recipients that the Medal of Honor turned into a dog and pony show if the tabloids and talk show circuit got their teeth into it and for the sanctity of the Medal, he refused. In his heart he felt that this wasn't right. Heroes were supposed to lead from the front, not be relegated to the rear into safe and cushy media roles. It was exactly that kind of treatment that fostered resentment from those who put their lives on the line.

_**JAG Headquarters, Falls Church, VA**_

"Harm, do you have to keep teasing her like that?" Mac said with a rather annoyed look on her face.

Suddenly the door opened and Lia came out, Navy combo cap in hand. "So…flyboy, are we going?" Her demeanor was naughty.

"What?" Harm looked at her with a confused expression.

"To interview the witness? Commander? Time's a wastin'." Liandra tossed back. "If I'm not going to miss my warm bath and a nice book to curl up with tonight, I'm going down to start my defense interviews now. Whether you come along is up to you." She curled a finger suggestively, stood in a way that made her hip stick out and gave him a come-hither look. Mac nearly choked on her inhale resisting the urge to laugh her head off. And Harm looked like he got beaned in the head by a bag of cement.

"She got you there…Harm." Mac pointed out with no small amount of amusement.

Harm shot a look of annoyance at Mac. "Oh, laugh it up, Jarhead."

"So?" Lia gave him some more snark. "Flyboy… You comin'?" That did it for Mac, she burst out laughing.

_**Pentagon, CNO's Office, Washington, DC**_

The CNO's yeoman gave Animal a look. "Captain Nakamura?" she queried.

"Yes?" Animal replied returning the look.

"The CNO will see you now."

Animal got up, practically freaking out a few O-3s sitting near by who had their eyes locked on his ribbon rack. They had been looking nervously at him for the past ten minutes and each time he shifted position in his chair, they had looked like they were about ready to jump out of their skins. It was tempting to shift position to glare at them and go 'BOO!' just to see if they would jump out of their seats, try to go in opposite directions and collide with one another much like comedic characters on cartoons he had watched when he was an innocent kid, such a long, long time ago. But he resisted the urge to do so and simply got up brushed his uniform off and strode to the CNO's office door; coming to a stop in front of the closed door, pounded the pine twice.

"Enter!" the CNO's voice sounded from the inside.

"Captain Toshio Nakamura, reporting as ordered, sir." Animal said as he strode in, stopping three paces from the desk and snapping to attention.

"Morning, Animal." The CNO said. Admiral Stephen Kasczanowski grinned at him. He was a surface warfare officer, three decades of service, serving first under tin cans (destroyers) then moving up the warfare line to guided missile cruisers. Two warriors recognized each other.

"Morning, Admiral." A well known but dangerous wit in uniform once said that the CNO and him knew each other by first names – that the CNO called him Dick and he called the CNO "Admiral". That was truly the case. Animal wouldn't dare to call Admiral Kascanowski by the name Steve. He was Admiral and that was all that Animal was going to call him.

"Thanks for coming in today." The CNO stated as he turned around to grab a folder from the mound that inhabited his desk. "One of the things that I need since you are working for the Navy Inspector General's office is a liaison with the Judge Advocate General's office. Animal raised an eyebrow at that. "What we need to do is find out how the JAG office is running, how efficiently and whether or not we have to make changes there or not. It is almost budget reading time for the Navy Department and the SecNav will require information from them. It is your job being as now you're under COMNAVINSGEN. I want you to get a complete report out of them. They're routinely late."

"Aye, sir." Animal's displeasure was palpable. He wanted back on the front lines.

The CNO sighed. "Sit down. Animal…" He looked Animal in the eye and stated firmly. "You're aware that we can't lose Medal of Honor recipients in combat. Nor can we assign them to dangerous roles that could potentially get them killed. That's why you're not flying. So in order to keep you in for your full twenty-five that would give you your pension let alone thirty years, we had to find someplace to put you. Now look, the promotion boards are coming up. You've had no dings against your service record, you've got a blue-button that puts major points on your file towards the next grade and there's a good possibility that you will skip commodore-rear admiral lower half and go to two-stars inside of the next promotion cycle. So the choice is up to you, Animal, whether you sit for those two years until the next promotion cycle disgruntled as hell or working at a posting that will benefit the Navy." He lifted his hands palms out, fingers aimed at Animal. "It's all up to you."

Animal nodded. "You really think I'm going to hit rear admiral upper half?" his voice was rather disbelieving.

"Steak dinner at The Capital Grille says you do." CNO grinned back at him.

"You're on!" Animal replied.

"Well…be prepared to lose that bet in two years, Captain." ADM Kascanowski grinned back at him. "Ah…nothing like a 24 oz. Porterhouse Steak." He gloated.

"Well, we'll see who wins that bet, sir." Animal shot back.

ADM Kascanowski grinned back at him and laughingly said. "Dismissed."

"Aye, sir!"

_**Brig, Naval Station Norfolk, Norfolk, VA 1500hrs**_

"Harm, he said he missed movement because his wife was giving birth." Lia said as she walked out with him back to the car.

"If that's the case, that'd be the 4th baby she's had in three years. I think we need to check this out with the BuPERS and see if his spouse has had any hospitalizations relating to pregnancy."

"So you're going for prosecution based on implied fallacy?" Lia asked.

"Not so quickly." Harm grinned back at a fuming Liandra. "I'm not giving away my strategy. You gotta work for it in court."

"Oh…ha ha… very funny." Liandra said

"I'm a really funny guy." Harm gave her his best grin.

"If that's the case, I wouldn't quit your day job…" Lia shot back as they returned to their Navy Crown Victoria.

_**JAG Headquarters, Falls Church, VA 1745hrs**_

Walking back through the double doors of the JAG office, Harm and Liandra both tossed their briefcases in their respective offices. Mac was still there diligently going over her own case.

"Hey, Mac…busy?" Harm grinned.

"Yeah…" Mac looked up at him. "So what's new…on the case I mean. Did you two go interview your witness?"

"Yeah. But more problems are popping up. Other than that I can't say." Harm shrugged his shoulders. "You hungry?"

"Yeah…my stomach told me that it wanted food twenty minutes and fifteen seconds ago." Mac said lightly. "So, I think I'm going to wrap this up and take this case home."

"Care for some company?" Harm asked.

"Harm…" Mac laughed. "You've got a case going on. I've got a hell of one too so I think we'd better both take a rain-check on it."

"All right…" Harm sounded disappointed. "I guess it's me…AND…a BOOK!" he said loud enough so Liandra could hear. He muttered audibly. "I guess I'm going home too…to an empty abode and a book…and maybe a pizza. Vegetarian. Either one of you is welcome to visit though."

"Nope…too busy." Mac said snidely exploding Harm's hopes for a _tete a tete_ of bouncing case ideas off each other.

"Sorry, Harm. But I'm not skipping my bath…and I'm washing my hair tonight." Lia replied with no small amount of playful snark. The age-old excuse of "I'm washing my hair" to get out of any sort of dating.

Harm just shook his head. That implied visual would keep him planted to his seat for the next hour and a half as both visions of Mac and Lia doing exactly that would run laps through his brain. As both beautiful women packed up their case files and exited the JAG office. "damn!" he muttered to himself. Maybe he could get out of the office without everyone calling him Lieutenant Commander Log tomorrow.

How did RADM Chegwidden find these JAG lawyers he wondered? When he was told he was pairing up with a Marine as a legal partner, he pictured – big mean He-Marine with huge muscles, spoke in grunts, a tattoo, high and tight and a mean disposition who would turn other defendants into a pretzel if they didn't admit that they had committed the crime. What he got was a curvaceous vision; a brunette with large brown eyes, a tattoo she wouldn't disclose the location of, and a mean disposition when she was riled up. That was quite a comforting thought compared to his original vision. And Liandra, she was a redhead with blue eyes, a striking heart shaped face and a smart-ass personality. Considering his last partner was a blonde with blue eyes and a great attitude, he was batting four for four, if one counted Kate Pike. And if he didn't stop thinking about them in that way, he'd end up being Article 133'd.

Finally, he just shook his head, grabbed his briefcase, gathered up his files into the briefcase and went home…to his lonely abode.

_**JAG Headquarters, Falls Church, VA, 0700hrs**_

"Good morning". A grim-faced Rear Admiral AJ Chegwidden announced in the morning briefing. All eyes focused on him. "The shit has just hit the fan." He paused for a long moment as he looked at each one of the JAG lawyers. Everyone from Mattoni all the way down to Rabb looked up. "An emissary from the Naval Inspector General's office is here to do a one on one with each and every one of you. And unfortunately there is no way to beg off."

"Sir?" Lieutenant JG Bud Roberts asked. "The Inspector General's office…why that's only when something is seriously wrong…they're called in…what could be wrong in the JAG office, sir?" his voice rose to something kin to panic.

"I don't know, but I certainly intend to find out." The door opened and a harsh voice was heard. All eyes turned towards the _emissary_ from NAVINSGEN who gazed back at them impassively. Their eyes turned towards his ribbon rack as AJ rose from his seat

"Captain…" AJ acknowledged gazing at the lower-ranking officer. As they were indoors, it was impolite to salute. Harm followed the eyes to meet up with someone from his past. His eyes then followed down to see a blue ribbon festooned with white stars in an M shape. This was no pencil-pushing rear echelon type. That was why AJ had risen. Everyone else rose to their feet.

"Admiral. The rest of you; as you were." The Naval Inspector General's inspecting officer stated as he looked over at the rest of the group. "I'm going to make this as painless as possible. But I am going to have to speak with each and every one of you individually. So…be that as it may. I intend to make this quick and be out of your hair in a short amount of time."

The lawyers all looked at each other. AJ was right. The shit was going to hit the fan.


	2. Chapter 2

_**JAG Headquarters, Falls Church, VA, 0710hrs**_

The JAG officers looked at each other. This was a short yet imposing figure: Medal of Honor, Naval Aviator Wings. This did not look good. "Captain Toshio Nakamura, Naval Inspector General, lead investigator. First of all we will be conducting a financial audit into the Judge Advocate General's office. This is to ensure that there are no discrepancies between what was listed on the application forms for recompense through the FMO. Then there are other matters that require going over, comfort and efficiency, etc. I'm sure that this office has everything in order; however I still have to check matters. CNO's orders." The captain's tone was somber.

"I'm sure you will…" Chegwidden replied, his eyes boring holes in the captain, his sardonic tone not lost on the captain.

"Sir, I'm just here trying to do my job and get back to active duty." Animal said, the bitterness in his voice apparent challenging the acerbic tone that AJ was using on him. "That's if they ever let me in command of a carrier battle group." AJ nodded, as he got up and the rest of the JAG officers dispersed. Animal let out a deep sigh. "Great…" he muttered to himself as he got his own briefcase out and settled down to read some of the reports that were circulating about the JAG office. "I'm really making friends and influencing people here."

"It's not that bad…" he heard a familiar voice. "Good to see you here, sir." Animal turned to find Harmon Rabb looking down at him from his six foot four inch height.

"Really?" Animal retorted. "Harm, I'm already being treated like a pariah. If the Medal didn't make people flip out and run for the nearest cover; I'm treated like someone with a terminal contagion."

"Well, Animal, nobody expects an Inspector General's Office inspection." Harm said shrugging his shoulders.

His comment warranted a Monty Python response and Animal didn't fail: "No-one expects the Spanish Inquisition." Animal asked, one corner of his mouth turned upwards in a half-smile, his tone still cutting.

"Needless to say, your demeanor looked much like that of an undertaker and that's not bound to win many friends here in this office." Harm quipped with some amusement "You look like an undertaker and everyone's going to go 'oh shit' and make a bee-line for the door."

Animal shrugged. "I guess I'd better make the best of it." He turned to Harm and said. "So who do I talk to about the financial audit?"

"I'll give you a hand with this. My cases are rather light this week, so I'll just guide you around when I'm not in court." Harm replied.

_**JAG Headquarters, Falls Church, VA, 0840hrs**_

LN2 Angela Rodriguez smiled at Animal. "These are the financial statements and reports for the fiscal year ending 1998, sir." She handed Animal a large binder as Animal's eyes widened as to the size of these things. He was unaware of just how much financial crap that he was going to have to go through.

"Thank you, Legalman Two." Animal responded. "Harm, we got an empty boardroom or an office that we can go and check this binder out?"

The younger officer turned to give him a grin, "I've got just the place. We can go to the law library here and sit down at a desk and review those financials there." Harm said as he moved down the hallway towards the mentioned location. "We won't be disturbed there. I'll ask Bud to help us with the financials, because he's quite the bean-counter type." As the two walked through the bullpen, Harm accosted his friend "Hey, Bud, can you give us a hand with this?"

"Of course, sir." Bud, as usual, eager to please, fell into step behind both the captain and the lieutenant commander. Although he looked warily at the Navy captain, who in his eyes was there to disrupt the ebb and flow of the JAG office, he accompanied at the lieutenant commander's request.

Over the next three and a half hours they went through every single detail that could be gone over. "Lieutenant junior grade; tell me why there's significant increases in the outside accommodations for the month of September?" Animal said pointedly when he saw the accommodations amounts for both August and October.

"There was a lot of investigations that had to be done outside of the DC area, sir, and that involved investigators requiring accommodation in some place other than on-base, sir." Lieutenant JG Bud Roberts replied to Animal's query.

"So you are telling me that they had to use accommodation other than at the VOQ when a VOQ was available?"

"Sir, Lieutenant Commander Mattoni had to investigate a DUI involving a Navy rating running over a civilian in Indiana. The Navy rating worked out of Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division in Crane, Indiana. Sir." Bud replied looking at Animal.

Animal then replied. "And he could not find a visiting officer's quarters at NSA Crane? Lieutenant, that base is one of the biggest bases in the United States Navy."

"Sir…that base is one of the black bases in the United States Navy, sir. Visiting officers are not allowed to stay on base as it is classified top secret." Bud replied.

"OK…" Animal replied. He knew exactly what NSA Crane conducted there. He just wanted to know if Bud would violate security clearance. Bud didn't; so Animal was satisfied there. He nodded to the lieutenant to continue with the rest of the items on the list that were of concern.

Bud's eyes alternated from Harm to Animal seeing both of their aviator wings. His mind was going a mile a minute trying to ascertain why another aviator would be stuck in a staff position.

_**JAG Headquarters, Falls Church, VA, 1145hrs**_

After a 3 hour jam-session with the accounts folder, the three officers came out of the law library a bit more frazzled than when they went in. Stomachs were growling as they came into the bullpen. Eyes peered out of the offices.

"I'm hungry." Harm said. "How about you?" He looked at Animal and asked.

"I'm sure I could do with something to eat." Animal replied. The conversational tone did not escape others in the bullpen who were sure something was up.

As Harm walked past, Liandra stage-whispered to Mac, "Why's he going out for lunch with the Naval Inspector General's stooge?" Mac winced. Animal chose to ignore it. He knew exactly what was thought about him around the JAG office, the atmosphere was tense enough even a stone could pick up on it.

Harm whirled on her. "Lieutenant Commander?" he said, his tone frosty. "My office, now." Lia walked into Harm's office. Harm shut the door and looked at Lia. "Lieutenant Commander Gracen? The Naval Inspector General's stooge as you so callously referred to him is my former Reserve Air Group instructor who instructed me on how to fly and fight in the F-14 Tomcat. He was my flight instructor after LCDR Gary Hochhausen. Did you perhaps notice that ribbon he wears?"

"Yes, Commander." Lia replied, suitably chastised. "I was wrong, Commander, you were not cozying up to the Captain, you were just asking a friend to lunch."

"That's correct, Lieutenant Commander Gracen. And you will from now on treat the captain with the utmost of respect. As it stands you are drawing very close to an Article 89. Considering how much work you put into your law degree, it would be very unfortunate to lose your JAG commission based on spite." Harm snapped out at Lia. "He did not earn that blue button without some sacrifice."

_I'll treat him with respect, but I'll be damned if I like him._ Lia thought to herself as she stood at the position of attention.

There was a knock on the door. Harm opened it. Animal poked his head in. "Hey, Harm, are we still going to lunch? I have to start person to person interviews after lunch."

"Well, I have a candidate who just volunteered to be first in line." Harm smirked evilly. "Lieutenant Commander Liandra Gracen, meet Captain Toshio Nakamura." If looks could kill, Harm would have been fried instantly as Liandra glared daggers at Harm…

And said frostily. "I'll see you after lunch, sir." To Animal as she retreated from the room.

As both officers gazed at Lia's quickly receding back, Harm quipped. "I think she likes you." He grinned at Animal.

"Oh, really? Then I'm sure I could get an ice-cube to marry me." Animal retorted. "Let's go get lunch, I'm hungry."

_**JAG Headquarters, Falls Church, VA, 1200hrs**_

"So, tail feathers suitably singed?" Mac asked Lia.

"Yes, completely charred and on top of that to rub salt in the wound." Lia fumed. "I get to go first with that Navy captain on the personal interviews." She paced around Mac's office. "I can't believe it. Harm dressed me down like an Academy plebe."

"Well, the Captain did merit the Medal of Honor. Did you ever see his award citation?" Mac asked as she turned around to stare out the window.

"I know they don't give those medals out to just anybody." Lia said speaking to Mac's back as Mac continued to look out the window.

"When you hold off six hundred and eighty North Koreans in order to rescue a downed airman with nothing but an M-16A2 and ten clips of five point five six: that's conduct above and beyond the call of duty, Lia. This guy is no rear echelon pencil pusher and you recognized the bitterness in his voice? He's been yanked out of line duty and forced into this situation and he isn't liking it one bit." Mac returned philosophically stroking her own chin as she looked out the window. She turned around to face Lia and advised. "You might consider cutting him a bit of slack."

"I'll consider cutting him a bit of slack." Lia replied with no small amount of annoyance "But it doesn't mean I have to like him."

"Well…it's a start." Mac admitted.

_**Red Robin, Falls Church, VA 1225hrs**_

Animal bit into a mushroom white Swiss melt burger. It was delicious and the look on Harm's face was absolutely hysterically funny. After he chewed and swallowed, Animal said. "You still eat grass and shrubs? Harm?"

"Ugh…dead cow? That thing's a heart-attack waiting to happen." Harm replied; his index finger pointing at the burger that Animal was chowing down on.

"But absolutely delicious. So…how's that plate of rabbit food…and croutons. What the hell atrocities did they do to that bread? You could make an absolutely delicious roast beef sandwich and what do they do…cut stale bread into squares?" Animal went off on a humor laced tirade about vegetarians. Harm just rolled his eyes. "So…how's the JAG office treating you?"

"Not bad. I'm enjoying it." Harm said.

"But not as much as you would have if you were still flying?" Animal asked.

"Yeah…but I don't have that any more to fall back on. You remember Gary Hochhausen?" Harm asked Animal.

"Yeah. I hear he got taken down when he cheated on the eye exam, his vision got screwed up to the point where he clipped wires and crashed taking out a mother and son driving on the highway. Some hotshot JAG lawyer took him out." Harm winced as Animal gave a point-by-point rundown on what he knew.

"Yep." Harm said with some pain in his voice. "I was that _hotshot_ JAG lawyer."

"Awwww shit, Harm…" Animal shook his head.

"I had to do what was right and what happened was that civilian mom and kid were killed. If Gary wasn't taken out of the cockpit, there would be no justice for them." Harm stated clearly but his eyes looking at Animal for forgiveness. He hadn't wanted to ground his mentor, but he had to do what was right.

"Well, you did the right thing. God hope that I know when it's time to hang the wings up. But like you, that decision got taken away from me." Animal's tone was bitter, his voice giving Harm clues. "And I thought I was doing the right thing too…the honorable thing."

"Animal, not many of us have the courage to do the right thing…and that's threatening to a lot of people who don't know what it's like to have to take all of one's fears and compartmentalize it to do the job that you have to do." Harm looked down at his plate of salad, his appetite suddenly gone.

"Everybody looks at your wings…and wonders why you're not out there pushing the envelope instead of being stuck at a cushy rear echelon job. Everyone wonders if there's something wrong with you or you had the ultimate gut-check and failed. Or they look at me and wonder if you've just been deified by the High Almighty." Animal replied as he looked down at his ribbon rack on his blues. "It's a crock of shit and you have to make the best of it."

_**JAG Headquarters, Falls Church, VA, 1255hrs**_

As Animal and Harm returned to the office. AJ Chegwidden called for them to come to his office. When the two officers assembled in the office, AJ turned to them and said. "I hope that your investigation is going smoothly. I hear you're going to be interviewing personnel here for your report."

"Yes, sir." Animal replied calmly knowing that this was a measuring stick by which he was being judged by the admiral. "It was a requirement specifically required by the Chief of Naval Operations."

"So the CNO wasn't liking the noises he heard out of FMO?" AJ asked pointedly.

"That, sir, is above my pay-grade. I'm just here to collect and disseminate information." Animal eyeballed the admiral. This was an unspoken challenge between two warriors: the Navy Cross on Admiral Chegwidden's ribbon rack versus the Medal of Honor on Animal's. Neither officer would give an inch.

"I'm sure…" …_damn the fact that admirals had to salute Medal of Honor recipients._ Thought Admiral Chegwidden as he bit the two words out.

_**JAG Headquarters, Falls Church, VA, 1320hrs**_

Liandra was fuming silently as she looked at the clock ticking towards 1330hrs. The self-important captain wasn't here yet. She wondered just how long he was about to make her wait…when the door opened.

"Lieutenant Commander." The captain's voice said. "Did they not teach you at OCS to stand when a senior officer comes into the room?"

"Yes, sir." LCDR Gracen swore to herself as she picked herself out of the chair into a position of attention in front of her chair. _The damned stuck-up aviator thinks he can sweet-talk me?_

"Be that as it may…" Animal said as he arranged his briefcase and his file in front of him as well as a notepad. "So…Lieutenant Commander, are you happy here at JAG?"

That question threw Lia for a loop. Wasn't it obvious to the captain?

As if he heard the question, the captain narrowed his eyes at her and said. "Appearances can be deceiving, Lieutenant Commander. Sometimes the deepest currents are the strongest…and those currents cannot be detected by those scanning the surface."


	3. Chapter 3

_**JAG Headquarters, Falls Church, VA, 1330hrs, Boardroom 2**_

Standing outside the door of the boardroom that Animal had entered, for a long moment before heading to their scheduled court sessions, Harm and Mac looked at each other. "Think we need to stand guard out here?" Harm asked flippantly. "Animal might come out of that boardroom shredded into little tiny pieces." Knowing Liandra's temper; that was a distinct possibility.

"Could be an idea." Mac reciprocated with a wry look at the door. "I don't hear any yelling."

"…or screaming." Interjected Harm as he investigated the door. "Well, we'd better get going before Captain Morris starts screaming at us." Mac agreed as she knew exactly just how tolerant Captain Stiles Morris was to those who were tardy to his courtroom.

_**JAG Headquarters, Falls Church, VA, 1330hrs, Boardroom 2**_

"May I ask what that's supposed to mean, sir?" Liandra asked. She wasn't expecting the captain to be almost Confucian in his responses.

"I'm here to test the waters, Lieutenant Commander, to see if there are any riptides of discontent underneath the surface." He paused and looked at her with obsidian eyes. "I need to gauge how the office behaves in order to determine just how cohesive a team they are."

"And I'm supposed to be your stooge? Sir?" Her outrage was obvious…the _sir_ tacked on the end like an afterthought.

"No, you don't have to be." Captain Nakamura responded tapping his pen on the notepad. "You'll just be marked down as uncooperative and that could be a black mark on the next promotion board."

LCDR Gracen stewed for a long moment. "I could just exercise my rights to have a lawyer present, sir." Animal thought that there was a distinct look of hate in her eyes.

"If I'm correct, LCDR Rabb is in court right now and Major Mackenzie is also, so that leaves you with…" he paused for a long moment. "…either Carolyn Imes or Alan Mattoni." Animal said finally, rather pleased that he remembered those names. "Which of them would you want?" he challenged, his voice turning hard.

"I'll take Lieutenant Commander Mattoni, sir." She got up. "You can continue your interview with my lawyer present." Animal's eyes narrowed at her insolence. "…sir." She said as she turned to go. She stormed through the boardroom doors, nearly knocking over an LN3 who was trying to enter the boardroom.

Animal didn't have a reaction to her rudeness and storming out. He just jotted a notation on a pad and then continued on to the next name on the list.

_**JAG Headquarters, Falls Church, VA, 1350hrs**_

Liandra looked like a thundercloud coming back towards her office. LCDR Carolyn Imes looked over at her and asked. "I presume the interview didn't go well?"

"Oh, I'm sure I'm on his shit list." Lia growled, her angry mood not lost on Carolyn. "He thinks he can act like a Mandarin in my presence, pulling out all the stops and trying to get me to stooge on the JAG office." She blustered. "I should just give him the middle finger."

"That might not work out too well in your favor." Imes said with a smile. "He does look like a no-nonsense type of officer."

"What'll he do; write me up for an Article 89 or Article 133?" Lia asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

_**JAG Headquarters, Falls Church, VA, 1730 hrs**_

Animal let the final person in the interviews for the rest of the day go. Gathering his notebook and papers up, he looked up to see Harm. "Hey, shipmate." Harm grinned. "So how did the interviews go?"

"Not too bad. The first one was not good though, she walked out on me. Evidently she thought I was going to try to get her to stooge for the entire office." Harm nodded as Animal said this. Liandra was hot-tempered but her anger usually was a flash-in-the-pan. Never had he seen Liandra so actively dislike someone before.

"Well, wanna get something to eat? It's almost time for us to clear out for the day." Harm turned to Animal and stated. Something that was definitely wanted as Animal's stomach growled out a complaint that it was nearing the end of the Swiss mushroom burger that he had eaten at noon. He nodded and continued stuffing the briefcase with the copious amount of notes that he had made during the course of the interviews. The discussions ran laps through Animal's head as he had asked each member of the JAG unit how they perceived their commanding officer, how they perceived themselves, where did they think that their career was heading and what concessions could be made to assure their happiness in this position or what changes did they feel that they would need in order to be persuaded to re-up if their term of service was drawing to a close. All of these points were considerations that needed to be made if their retention was to be assured. And all of it pointed to how the office was run and how efficiently the JAG office was performing. And that part in parcel was what the office of the Naval Inspector General was supposed to be doing: seeking out the cogs that ran the office and making the office more efficient.

"Sure thing, Harm. My stomach's growling." Animal replied as he finished brushing the rest of the items; pens and other writing utensils as well as a tape recorder into his briefcase and shutting it. Setting the briefcase on its end, he grabbed the handle and hefted it. "Where do you want to go?" he asked.

"Well, I'm heading towards Union Station." Harm stated looking at his watch, then looked over at Animal. "Let's find something to eat around the DC area."

"Alright."

_**JAG Headquarters, Bullpen, Falls Church, VA, 1745 hrs**_

Liandra casually watched Harm and Animal stride through the bullpen on their way out the door as she shook her head.

The interview was not pleasant the second go-around even with Mattoni present. Animal was not enamored of the disrespect shown towards his rank and made Liandra aware of it.

"_Lieutenant Commander, are you aware of the disparity in ranks between yourself and I. You are brushing up against an Article 133. The fact that I choose to make you aware of this is in fact how close you really are to a JAGMAN investigation. Do not allow yourself to slip the bounds of rank structure in order to get your point across. Commander or the next trial we will be attending will be yours." _ His tone had been frosty. _"I could have chosen to convene an Article 133 when you left the room without proper dismissal. The fact that I chose not to do so is the reason why you are still in uniform, Lieutenant Commander! Do you understand me?!"_

Poor Alan Mattoni had been intimidated by the officer sitting across from him and advised her to "follow the rules".

Lia's voice had been equally frosty _"Yes…SIR!" _ It had sounded like _cur_.

Animal was not pleased, nor did the tone of his questioning turn more friendly. The questions ranged from snarky to downright intrusive though he was going directly from the list of approved questions provided to NAVINSGEN investigators.

Liandra supplied clipped barely civil answers to all the questions asked. It was well certain that neither of the two officers liked each other, let alone found anything in common. Liandra thought he was a stuffed shirt enamored of his own aviation prowess; disliking the fact that he was stuck with the _mortals_ and really didn't want to have anything to do with him outside of official channels. At least he would be gone in a few days back to the pencil-pushing idiots that permeated the NAVINSGEN's office who seemed to have nothing better to do than to rile up those who actually did something in the Navy.

Lia returned to her files as she saw the swinging doors close and the receding backs of the two officers as they exited the office. Just thinking about Captain Nakamura rankled her gut so she opted to stick her head back into the case that she was working on.

She was so engrossed into the files that it only seemed like a moment later when Mac stuck her head in her office door. "Hey, Lia, I'm heading out the door. I'm going home, it's been a long day." Mac stated as she looked over at Lia.

"OK, Mac." Lia replied as she looked up from her file. "I'm gonna be a little longer here. This case needs to be resolved in the next week. I'm looking to get a week's leave. Have to head back to Texas for a visit. Haven't seen my mom in ages."

"Well, hopefully it doesn't coincide with Bud and Harriet planning their party for the JAG staff at their apartment." Mac's tone was blasé as she casually looked around Lia's office. Lia's office was spartan except for two pictures on her desk: one of the Siamese cat that she had in her apartment; her pet, the other photo being of her mother. Mac grinned at her friend and left, leaving Lia to think on that and whether or not she could get back from Dallas in enough time to be at the party.

Her father was not around. He had left the family when Lia was a child and her mother raised her from a child as a single mother. It evidently was part of the reason behind the drive that Lia had to succeed. Her mother had wholeheartedly given her support for Liandra joining the Navy and the Judge Advocate General legal program. Lia had originally worked in Public Affairs as an Ensign prior to joining JAG after enrolling in Law School at Harvard. She had to take a leave of absence from the Navy during her schooling. Then she had to apply to JAG in order to receive her commission as a Lieutenant. After working for seven years as a JAG officer, she was a Lieutenant Commander with two years in rank. The JAG position which she entered seven years ago was challenging which she enjoyed. It kept her occupied with the amount of cases that came in that had to be investigated. She was partnered with a lieutenant that she found was exceedingly _by the book_ and that translated into everything that she did when she achieved her lieutenant commander's rank and became lead investigator on cases.

She also saw a young brash Lieutenant come in transferred from line naval aviation after an excruciating ramp-strike accident that cost him his wings. She had seen the Lieutenant paired with Lieutenant JGs Kate Pike and Meg Austin. She also saw him promoted to Lieutenant Commander and be paired with United States Marine Major Sarah Mackenzie whom she considered a friend after they had gotten to know one another. It seemed as though the JAG office was a family and she felt comfortable. The simple fact that NAVINSGEN had sent someone to investigate had threatened the cohesiveness of that family. It had been said that most JAG postings lasted only three years, but hers was going seven and many of the other JAG office personnel had been there just as long or even longer.

So was Captain Nakamura going to split them up and move them to other places? That's what rankled her so badly. She didn't want to leave JAG and move to a Region Legal Services Office. Who knew where they would put her and she didn't want to be stationed half way around the world from her mother.

All the worrying that she was doing wasn't doing favors to her stomach and she decided that she had better make sure that she got herself something to eat. So gathering her things into her briefcase, she got out of her chair, grabbed her combo cap and overcoat, shutting the door to her office, she headed for the exit. As she was exiting she met up with the rear admiral, "Sir!"

"How are you doing this evening, Lieutenant Commander?" AJ asked her pleasantly.

"Fine, sir. I think I'm done for the evening. Headed home and planning on having a relaxing evening." Liandra said as she looked at the admiral.

"Well, enjoy the evening. I'll see you tomorrow." The Admiral stated as Liandra opted for military protocol and waited for the next elevator.

Driving home wasn't bad at nineteen hundred hours at night; the traffic wasn't that bad and she managed to reach home in about twenty minutes from the time she left the JAG office.

_**JAG Headquarters, Bullpen, Falls Church, VA, 0645hrs.**_

Animal pulled his Navy Blue United States Navy Mercury Grand Marquis into the JAG HQ entrance and pulled up to the Marine Gate Guard rolling down his window.

"ID please, sir?" the Marine Gunnery Sergeant said as he extended his left hand for the proffered ID, his right hovering near the butt of the holstered M9 Beretta sidearm. Looking at the ID and at the driver who gave him an amiable grin, he handed the identification back. "Good morning, sir. You're cleared."

"Thank you, Gunny." Animal replied as he pulled forward into the parking lot. He heard another car pull up and looked into the rear-view mirror. It was a cherry-red Corvette and he could see Harm's wide cheerful grin. Animal shook his head as he stepped on the gas easing the Grand Marquis forward. Finding a parking space, Animal parked his car. Getting out of the car, he grinned back at Harm who had by this time found his own place and was grabbing his briefcase from the car. "So…shipmate!" he hailed his old friend. "What brings you in so early?"

"You call this early? A couple more hours and it's practically noon." Harm said. "You weren't this late on the Seahawk." Harm chided his friend.

"Yeah…I guess I've learned to sleep in during my shore assignments. Tough habit to break once it's become ingrained." Animal grabbed his briefcase, shut the trunk of the Grand Marquis and locked the car from his key fob.

_**JAG Headquarters, Bullpen, Falls Church, VA, 0700-0705hrs**_

Harm and Animal entered the JAG office. There were a few officers and enlisted present. Most would be filing in at about this time. Harm knew he had a few minutes before the 0730hrs morning briefing so the two headed to the mess to grab an early morning snack. Grabbing a bran muffin from the rack, he looked at Animal who grabbed a raspberry jelly donut. "It's the last one." He said grinning.

_**JAG Headquarters, Bullpen, Falls Church, VA, 0715hrs**_

The CS3 looked aghast as he looked up at Lieutenant Commander Gracen. "I swear, ma'am, that we did have that raspberry jelly donut for you, ma'am. I know we had it on the rack here waiting for you."

"Well, Culinary Specialist 3rd Class." Lia growled, "It's not here now!"

"Oh, no, ma'am!" the CS3 sagged against the counter. "I remember ten minutes ago a captain swung through the mess-hall for his early snack with Lieutenant Commander Rabb…and… Oh…sh-! Ma'am. I'm so sorry."

"Great, CS3, I get no raspberry jelly donut…is there anything else that can go wrong today? Or should I ask!? You have nothing else in terms of donuts? "

"We do have donuts, ma'am." The CS3 said, sheepishly. "But ma'am…"

"What is it?" Lia snapped absolutely exasperated by this time.

"They're all coconut crème." The CS3 ventured looking extremely nervous.

"I HATE COCONUTS!"


	4. Chapter 4

**_JAG Headquarters, Falls Church, VA, 0730hrs_**

The officers filed slowly into the boardroom where Rear Admiral upper half AJ Chegwidden was standing waiting. "Good morning sir." They said individually as each officer entered. Each hail was acknowledged by a brusque nod as the admiral looked on with a saturnine stare.

"Be seated." AJ intoned solemnly and Liandra took her seat to the left of the admiral. Harm took a seat opposite her. The rest of the lawyers filled in the seats with the exception of the endmost position opposite the admiral who sat at the head of the table. Animal took that seat as the visiting NAVINSGEN.

"So…Captain Nakamura. What does your report have to say?" AJ grunted as he fixed Animal with an expression filled with antipathy. "Does this mean that this office is required to follow the assignment duration rules?"

"Sir, I have no doubt that most of the attorneys here are some of the best in the business. Needless to say though, sir, you are not doing their careers much of a favor with keeping them assigned in Washington when their talents could be used among the JAG RLSOs However, seeing as how the JAG office runs like a fine-tuned Swiss watch I am recommending that you still have final say of assignment duration. I see no need to stick my nose in any further into affairs at JAG." Animal looked at each of the officers, not smiling. His tone was ominous as he looked over at Liandra then back at AJ. "Though I am less than impressed by certain traits such as insubordination, as far as I've seen the officers under your command are satisfied with the assignments that they are given; that the personnel will stick up for one another and this entire organization at JAG works together as a cohesive team."

"So does that mean that your investigation is finished, sir?" Mac asked. Her voice made it absolutely clear that she was relieved that this NAVINSGEN inspection left the JAG office intact. She wasn't too sure about Captain Nakamura – she would have to ask Harm about him as it was well-evident that Harm had served with this captain.

"It is finished for the foreseeable future, however I certainly hope to be well-clear of any further investigations into the JAG office in the future." Animal stated clearly as he internally hoped that a transfer would come soon but it didn't seem likely until he received his rear admiral rank. He didn't enjoy the staff duty and wished eagerly for the smell of the sea. He was a line-officer through and through and lived for deployments. He especially didn't like going around making enemies with the Judge Advocate General office as he had a fellow friend and former shipmate serving there. "So without further adieu, I will pass this report to the Naval Inspector General. You will receive a ruling on how he perceives this report in a few weeks. Sir." He stated as he locked eyes with AJ.

"Thank you." AJ said.

"By your leave, sir." Animal stated as he locked to attention. Out of the corner of his eyes he could see the looks of relief on the faces of the JAG officers and a look of 'Good Riddance' on the face of Lieutenant Commander Liandra Gracen.

"Dismissed, Captain." AJ stated calmly.

**_CNO's Office, Pentagon, Washington DC 1300hrs_**

"Good work, Animal. Chegwidden is very attached to his officers and the good ones he does keep past what would normally be considered a good career plan. Unfortunately, that stymies the upwards progression of an officer's career." Admiral Kasczanowski stated as he looked over Animal's 130 page report on the inner workings of the Judge Advocate General's office. "We will have to look into that. I see you have a friend inside who gave you a hand?"

"Yes, sir." Animal stated quietly as he pondered whether Harm could get into trouble for that or feel that AJ would consider that as a betrayal of trust.

"Well, I also have an insider there. I trust you have heard of Ensign Harriet Beaumont Sims, She just transferred into the JAG office. Well, we're talking with her about joining the Naval Inspector General's office?"

"Is that so, sir." Animal stated. Animal had seen the perky blonde ensign flitting about the office and usually Lieutenant jg Bud Roberts was not far behind.

"Yes, Captain. But we also need a formal JAG liaison officer between their office and ours." Admiral Kasczanowski stated as he looked intently at the report. He read for a few more moments. "I think I've got the officer that could possibly do that role. She is a damned good lawyer and a great top-notch investigator. In fact she has been recommended to the judiciary when she receives her third full stripe." ADM Kasczanowski grinned evilly at Animal. "In fact. In her role, she will spend half her time at JAG, half her time with the Naval Inspector General to ensure that we operate within legal parameters in our investigations. She will report to the JAG Chief of Staff while she is with JAG and she will report to you when she is at the Naval Inspector General's office. The orders have been couriered over to JAG and she will report on Monday."

"Any idea who this officer is, sir?" Animal thought to ask as his mind churned over who could possibly be seconded from JAG to NAVINSGEN.

"Oh, I'm sure you'll find out, Animal. And I'm sure, she'll keep you on your toes. After all, you two butted heads." Animal's face fell. _Not her…anybody but her… _he thought to himself. She despised his guts. If he ended up with her as the JAG Liaison, he was going to be soooo dead.

**_JAG Headquarters, Falls Church, VA. 1300 hrs _**

AJ crossed his arms. "This is a JAG liaison trial run. Considering the fact that JAG needs to oversee the mandate of the Naval Inspector General's office to see if they are doing everything legal and above board, I'm sure that this position will be satisfying to you. Lieutenant Commander Gracen."

"Sir? The Naval Inspector General's office?" The look on her face was horrified shock. "They can't be serious." She paused for a moment to study the admiral's look on his face. "Can they?" She asked.

"As serious as any request from the Chief of Naval Operations, Commander." AJ replied. "I understand that you have serious problems with the conduct of the recent Naval Inspector General and I'm sure all of that is personal rather than professional. As far as I've heard from Lieutenant Commander Rabb, everything he did was above board and professional. I certainly do not know where he rubbed you the wrong way, but I'm sure that you need to cut Captain Nakamura some slack. After all, he will be the superior officer that you report to while you are at the Naval Inspector General's office." He barely resisted the urge to laugh as he gazed upon Lia's expression of horror. "Yes, you will be working with Captain Nakamura closely." AJ figured that it was a toss-up of whether she could hold her military bearing or run out of his office screaming.

Her mouth worked soundlessly for a moment in indignant outrage, but stifled her complaints and said nothing but "Yes, sir." _I'm sure Harm had something to do with this. He's soooo dead!_

**_Office of the Naval Inspector General, Washington Navy Yard, Washington DC, Monday, 0730 hrs_**

Knocking on the door of Captain Toshio Nakamura's office, Lieutenant Commander Liandra Gracen looked sourly at the nameplate. Of all the things that were distasteful to her, this was probably the worst. Captain Nakamura was her superior officer and the officer that she had to report to at the Office of the Naval Inspector General. When she was processed in at the front desk, she had to report to him to let him know that she had arrived.

"Enter!" was the barked response to her knock. She wordlessly opened the door, turned to close it and smartly walked to three paces in front of the desk and came to the position of attention. "Sir! Lieutenant Commander Liandra Gracen, Judge Advocate General's office, reporting for duty to the Naval Inspector General's office, sir!" she stated crisply and well within the bounds of respect.

"Very well, Lieutenant Commander. Welcome to the Naval Inspector General's office." There was just calm civility emanating from the captain. "As the Naval Inspector General's chief of staff, I will be your reporting officer." Captain Nakamura continued. "Anything to do with the Naval Inspector General's office will be run through me and the Naval Inspector General Vice-Admiral James E. Bennett. Clear?"

"Crystal, sir." Lia stated, her countenance impassive.

"Now…to personal matters." Animal said, his eyes not betraying any hint of trepidation. "You and I butted heads during the NAVINSGEN investigation at JAG. I trust that there will be more cooperation coming while you are under my command?"

"Yes, sir." Lia nodded, her response carefully weighed to not show any displeasure at this turn of events.

"Sir…the only thing that I ask, sir…is that the mess has plenty of raspberry filled donuts, sir!" She looked smug as she gauged his reaction to her statement.

Animal winced to her satisfaction. He knew exactly what incident she was referring to. "I will make our culinary specialist aware of your requirements. Lieutenant Commander."

"Thank you, sir." Lia stated. "If I may ask, what exactly are my duties here."

"Well, Lieutenant Commander Gracen, your duties are to ascertain the legal boundaries of the methods that we utilize to carry out our investigations. In that regards, we do not wish to overstep our authority - in doing so, with the benefit of a Judge Advocate General liaison, we establish and fine-tune the operating procedures in such a way that we do not overstep those bounds. I believe that this is something that you are well-capable of doing and would help the Office of the Naval Inspector General greatly." Animal stated quietly as he looked at the naval officer standing in front of his desk.

"I appreciate the trust that the Office of the Naval Inspector General has in me." Lia admitted. "I will endeavor to do the best that I can to meet those expectations while I am assigned here."

"That's all that we expect. Lieutenant Commander." Animal replied. "Now, I'm sure that you are eager to get on with the assignment so, I will let you get to it. Dismissed. Commander."

"Yes. Sir!" Lia braced to attention, paused for a moment, then about-faced and marched smartly to the door to open it and exit.

_That wasn't so bad._ Lia said to herself as she exited the door and closed it behind her. _He actually seemed human this time around_. _But she didn't want to be here and frankly, the only reason why she was, was the fact that she was ordered to be here. Captain Nakamura was brusque and no-nonsense and that damned blue-ribbon with the white stars made him an untouchable._ Frankly, the Navy figured he could do no wrong. She'd bide her time here, do her duty efficiently and then at the first possible chance, get the hell out.

The day was filled with in-processing details, and an appointment at 1330hrs with the SECNAV's chief of staff (and as she had heard from Harm, the god-daughter of the Secretary of the Navy, Lieutenant Commander Tracy Manetti), after clearing it from Captain Nakamura. At 1325 hrs on the dot, Lieutenant Commander Liandra Gracen made her way to the Secretary of the Navy's set of offices and smartly knocked on the door of the Chief of Staff, Lieutenant Commander Manetti.

"Enter!" Lia could hear a trace of the old-Virginian accent coming from a slightly cognitively dissonant view of an equally short Asian-American woman, with straight black hair tightly curled in a bun to the back of her head. That set her inquisitive mind wondering as to where an obviously Asian woman would get an accent like that.

"Lieutenant Commander Liandra Gracen reporting."

"Come in…come in…sit down and take a load off." Manetti smiled as she leaned over the table to shake Lia's hand. "Well, so you're the new face in Captain Nakamura's office?"

"Yes'm" Lia replied. "Evidently it's a small office and they needed someone to legally advise the NAVINSGEN."

"The scuttlebutt was that you and the Captain butted heads during the NAVINSGEN's investigation of JAG." Lia heard warning bells go off in her head. Evidently Manetti was fishing for information.

"Ma'am, that's privileged information, between the Captain and myself." Lia replied opting to keep the info to herself. As much as she may have disliked the Captain – maybe dislike wasn't the right word, but she sure as hell didn't trust him after the investigation at JAG, she wasn't going to give any info to the SECNAV's emissary on the workings of the office.

"Well, since he is an O-6 and a well-decorated one at that, you will have to treat him with kid-gloves, Lieutenant Commander." Manetti grinned.

"Oh?" Lia looked at her curiously – wondering what the Asian-American Lieutenant Commander was getting at. "…and how would you know that? If I might ask, Lieutenant Commander."

"_No yōna suki ni hanasu_" Manetti grinned at her, her brown eyes twinkling in merriment. "like speaks to like…" she explained herself. "As you can tell, my Italian last name speaks to my being adopted by my loving Italian-American adoptive family. In heritage, however, I, like Captain Nakamura, am of Japanese descent though, with my last name, causes a bit of confusion amongst those who aren't familiar."

Lia opted to look surprised. "Well, the Virginia accent threw me for a bit. So how do you and Captain Nakamura know each other?" 

Tracy smiled as her old Southern Virginia upbringing "Well…I really shouldn't speak of others while they aren't in the room, that's akin to gossip, but I'll tell you, Captain Nakamura and I, on occasion, will make it out to the Japanese festival at Virginia Beach. After all, Virginia Beach and Miyazaki Japan are considered sister cities." She paused for a moment. "We tend to celebrate our Japanese heritage."

The two officers looked at each other for a long measuring moment before Lia broke the silence. This was a part of the Captain that she had never guessed about, that he had a life beyond the military. He was so taciturn and almost grouchy. Was it a sense that he didn't want to be there in the Office of the Inspector General. She contemplated that internally. _He seemed to have a bone to pick with JAG during the course of the inspection_, whether that was through resentment of having been taken off active front-line duty or not, she couldn't hazard a guess. All she knew was that she was treading a landmine-filled temporary duty at the Office of the Naval Inspector General and all because Rear Admiral Albert Jethro Chegwidden had insisted that she be the one that went to join that office, yanked from her comfortable job as a legal attorney.

The following week she would be at JAG finishing up some cases that were going to trial so the weekend would be busy. She was hoping that with the new assignment at NAVINSGEN, that she would be still able to take the week off that she was planning the following month. And just as it would have it, the week fell in during the time that she was at NAVINSGEN so she would have to put in to the Chief of Staff at NAVINSGEN for that week off. That meant that this week was going to be filled with getting up to speed on everything that needed doing.

She groaned audibly as she looked over at Lieutenant Commander Manetti who in turn looked over at her curiously. "Is there a problem, Lieutenant Commander Gracen."

"No, just thinking over the amount of work that I'm going to have to get in just to get up to speed at the office." Lia stated as she sighed, knowing that it was going to involve some late nights at work just to get the bulk of the work done that she needed to be familiarized on.

"Well, LCDR, that's one of the reasons why I called you in for this meeting. I used to work with the Office of the Naval Inspector General and frankly, I'm here to give you a hand during the first week here." LCDR Manetti said. "We'll be working together until you familiarize yourself with what needs to be done. I know that you're working back at JAG next week; so what we have to do will probably have to be spaced over two weeks, this week and the first week that you're back two weeks from now."

Lia looked surprised, but breathed a sigh of relief. At least then she wouldn't have to constantly be knocking on Captain Nakamura's door for instruction on what to do. Evidently the look of relief on her face did not go unnoticed by LCDR Manetti because Tracy laughed and said. "Now let's go see if we can knock down some of that work before secure and see if we can get you ahead of the power-curve."


	5. Chapter 5

_**JAG Headquarters, Falls Church, VA, 0700hrs (next morning)**_

"Good morning…" RADM AJ Chegwidden growled as he walked into the office. "The report that has been handed down from the Naval Inspector General is pretty damning evidence…" he paused for a long moment to let that ominous phrase sink into all those who were sitting there, then continued. "You all are aware that getting comfortable here was probably not the best thing for your naval careers and as such, there is going to be a major upheaval, all stemming from the inspection. Your personnel jackets will all be looked into and there will be changes made. Those of you who are in the zone for promotion will be considered for posts that will help those promotion chances. Those of you who are not and who have been posted here for longer than three years will be reassigned to other RLSOs in need of personnel. And those who have less that exemplary FITREPS in the past three years will be phased out under the up or out rule."

"What happens to the command staff?" Mac asked.

AJ was silent for a long moment, looking at each one of the legal staff in the room. "I screwed the pooch on this one." His face was drawn, tired and looked every year of his age and then some. "I received a call from the SECNAV. He has asked for my retirement."

"But sir…" objected CDR Carolyn Imes. "You've only been in the position for slightly more than two years."

"Imes." Chegwidden didn't look happy with her objection. "I screwed up. When I came on board, I should have looked over the files and sent those staffers that were assigned to the command to positions where they could have advanced." Pausing for a moment as he contemplated what he was going to say next.

"Instead I allowed myself to get too comfortable and failed to determine what was right for the staff for their careers. I failed the command and that is why the Secretary of the Navy was right to ask for my retirement. Admiral Morris is being considered for the position and will meet with a Senate committee to determine his eligibility; he will be considered as interim Judge Advocate General until he is confirmed. You will all follow his orders…"

"Yes sir."

The admiral looked over the staff for a long moment then continued. "I will be meeting with the SENAV today to discuss the matter of the handover to RDML Morris. You will all continue on with the cases that you have been assigned. Admiral Morris will hand out the new cases as he takes over the position. It has been an experience working with all of you." There wasn't much that the staff could say. Chegwidden had been a good commanding officer to work for, but the mark of a good commanding officer was also to determine their subordinates' upward mobility as far as their career went and in that regards, he had fallen short and the boom had been lowered. Changes would be made and those changes would be painful.

As the staff meeting broke up and RADM Chegwidden departed for what would appear to be the last time as Judge Advocate General, the senior officers broke into little groups pondering their future and what would happen to them as they were shuffled off to different RLSO positions.

Harm wondered how things would go. It had been a tumultuous year so far. First of all he had managed to find and then lose information that could have led to finding his father. Then the Admiral had appointed him and his partner as first and second chair to prosecute a Marine Lieutenant Colonel. Of course, then he'd had to clip the wings off a mentor from flight-school after evidence showed that his mentor was cheating on an eye-exam. A breakup with his former Academy classmate's widow had sent him into a tailspin after being forbidden to see Josh. Mac had left JAG then come back. Her boyfriend got shot and killed. As a matter of fact, he didn't figure that the year could potentially get any worse than it had. He sure as hell wasn't going to voice that, as he didn't want to give fate any more temptation to make life more hell that it was. Then as it turned out, his Reserve Air Group mentor just lowered the boom on JAG costing the admiral his career – Harm knew that Animal hadn't wanted to do that, but such was the unfortunate fall-out and the unsettling sense that everybody at JAG from Morris on downwards blamed him for that owing to his friendship with Animal. He sighed, shook his head and made a bee-line for his office door hoping that he could get to it before…

"Hey…" Mac called out as she fell into step beside him. It was quiet as Lia was out for the week doing her alternating weeks of service with the Office of the Naval Inspector General. "Care to talk?"

"Not really, Mac…" Harm let out a deep breath, full of frustration as he walked into his office, Mac following close behind him. "It just seems like NAVINSGEN was looking for an excuse to blow up JAG and my friend's report was the catalyst. I'm just waiting to be castigated as the Trojan Horse that caused the fall of Troy" he muttered caustically. "So…maybe it's not such a good idea to hang around me…or the stench of betrayal may rub off on you."

Mac raised an eyebrow, gave him a wry grin and said. "Harm. He was doing what he had to do – what he was ordered to do."

"Yeah, look how well that worked in WWII…" he muttered then growled in a German accent. "I vass jusst following ordass…ja?"

Mac laughed cheerily as she turned to go out the door. "Well…I gotta go work on some files. Hopefully you'll feel up to eating something…closer to lunch time." Then she was gone.

Harm groaned. Why couldn't he just indulge himself in a nice deep funk for once.

**_CNO's Office, Pentagon, Washington DC 0800hrs_**

Animal stepped into the CNO's office, his eyes scanning the room and looked startled to see the SECNAV was there as well.

"Captain Nakamura. Good to see you." Secretary of the Navy Alexander Nelson smiled. It was a smile that was calculating and that put Animal on his guard. "You did a good solid job as far as taking care of the stagnation that was brewing in the Judge Advocate General. You gave a dispassionate review of the department and made certain that the situation did not continue. Your recommendations were sound and came from an understanding of just was needed to advance the careers of others…"

Animal waited until the SECNAV was done and then looked at both CNO Kasczanowski and SECNAV Nelson. "Permission to speak freely, Admiral, Mr. Secretary?"

"Why yes…"

"Sirs…" Animal's eyes flashed. "I felt like I was going in there to do a hatchet job. And why do I feel like _doing my job _cost someone else theirs?"

CNO Kasczanowski stated firmly. "Captain, you understand that this is a difficult job. The office of the Naval Inspector General has to keep the other departments in line and as such, we are not the most popular department of the Navy. But in order to keep our people running at peak efficiency, there must be a group wielding the cattle-prod and the Naval Inspector General's office is that cattle-prod."

There was a knock on the door. "Enter…" Animal paled when the door opened and RADM AJ Chegwidden stepped through the door. There was no friendliness in the admiral's face when he noticed Animal standing there. Animal had seen icebergs much warmer than the admiral's face when his eyes landed on Animal standing there, trying to be unobtrusive.

"Sir, you called me in…" RADM AJ Chegwidden stated as he looked over at the Chief of Naval Operations standing stock-still at attention.

"Sit down, AJ." Admiral Kasczanowski ordered, the former Judge Advocate General sat.

"You do realize why we have asked for your retirement?" The CNO cut to the chase; no beating around the bush, just straight for the jugular.

"Sir, I was aware of the particulars. The fact that I failed to assign Judge Advocates to different RLSOs, failed to take into account the length of service and kept Judge Advocate staff to take care of matters within my command." AJ replied.

"Which in turn, created a logjam within the Judge Advocate General…AJ…" the SECNAV proceeded to take over the exit interview. " This meant that prospective Judge Advocates were stalled within their positions, that there was no career path for them to take as the HQ had stagnated their positions. When you take over a position such as JAG you have 12 months at the outset of taking over the position to clear out the people who are taking up space and replacing them so that there is turnover within the position." SECNAV Nelson looked at AJ who sat stiffly in his chair. "You failed to do that. At most, you would have had LCDR Rabb for another year as he would have to go to a JAG RLSO to gain XO experience so that he could continue to move upwards. And Major Mackenzie would be able to sit for maybe at best another two years. How long were you planning on keeping them within your immediate command structure? AJ?"

"JAG, unlike the fleet, has a very limited number of positions available for XO and command slots. So they must be continually circulated within the staff so that there is upward mobility and that everyone gains experience. As it was, none of the RLSO staff were getting headquarters experience because there was nobody moving out of headquarters and it has been that way for the past six years since Rear Admiral Brovo was in command. And your failure to ameliorate that problem is why we are asking for your resignation. AJ…" CNO Kasczanowski let him know that he wasn't too happy about the situation. AJ was a good officer, it was just that he had fallen into the problem of not letting his staff go when it was time.

"Yes, sir, I understand, sir." AJ replied, his voice a bit shaky. "I've temporarily designated RDML Stiles Morris as my JAG _pro tem_. I hope that his appointment is suitable for the short-term?"

"Acceptable." The Secretary of the Navy stated. "You have your letter with you?" he asked.

AJ reached into his jacket pocket withdrawing an envelope – his resignation letter. "Will that be all, sir?"

"Dismissed…" said the CNO as the two watched him dispassionately as AJ rose from his chair, came to a brace, and about-faced, though not without shooting Animal another cold stare as he exited the office.

"Shit…" Animal muttered then blanched remembering whose office he was standing in. "My apologies, Admiral, that was hard to stand here and listen to…"

"I understand, Captain, but it was necessary." The CNO stated. "There is no room for failure and the upward mobility of the ranks has to be maintained. You did your job commendably well. How about you use today as an office day and we'll see tomorrow who I have the Inspector General sending you off to see next."

"Aye, sir." Animal responded, about-facing and leaving the office only to be met by a cold-visaged Navy SEAL Admiral standing there waiting in the CNO's waiting room.

"You son-of-a-bitch, you set me up!" the Admiral leaned in growling.

"It was not my intention; sir!" Animal kept a straight face. The last person who tried to get in his face, had been roundly knocked on his ass. He hadn't a black belt in three different martial arts – one of them being MCMAP, for nothing. "I was given a job to do and I did it to the best of my abilities." His eyes were emotionless – a danger signal for anyone who had ever fought him and lived to tell the tale. But he wasn't about to escalate on the admiral without cause as the UCMJ would have him come out the loser and Mama Nakamura hadn't raised him to be stupid… "Sir!" he added the sir in to just keep on the edge of civility.

The admiral's eyes flashed and he spat. "I oughta…"

"With all due respect, sir. Don't go there…" Animal spat back. Oh, god, he didn't want to have to do this, but his body tensed up, fight or flight reflex and adrenaline kicking in.

"Or else…what?!" roared AJ…his body also tensed up for battle. He was angry and spoiling for a fight.

"AJ!" a stentorian roar from the now-open door of the office caused both officers to look up. "Captain Nakamura! Stand down! I do not need you two acting like fighting roosters looking for a cock-fighting ring and scaring the hell out of my yeoman! AJ, I would highly suggest you out-process yourself now before I have you escorted to BUPERS under armed guard. Captain Nakamura, you head for your NAVINSGEN office. Understood?"

"Yes sir!" Animal said and amscrayed not bothering to see if AJ would comply, his body still shaking from the after-effects of the adrenaline. It had just been like it was back in North Korea – his fight or flight reflex. It had come slamming back into his adrenal system and it had been just a hair-trigger away from putting AJ on the ground and seeing what his brains were made out of. Taking a deep breath, he thought that perhaps maybe he should check with Bethesda and see if he should go see someone about his hair-trigger temper.

When he had reached his office, he saw Lieutenant Commander Tracy Manetti and Lieutenant Commander Liandra Gracen talking over matters. They both looked up, Tracy with a smile on her face and Lia looking rather non-committal. Animal doubted that there would be anything but tolerance on her part as far as working for him; her answers being limited to yes, sir or no, sir, depending on the question asked of her.

He walked past his yeoman and said. "Hold all calls for the next two hours."

YN1 Morna Carran looked up at him and said. "Aye, sir. Will do." Morna enjoyed working for the captain, who was relatively congenial, and she was able to note his mood changes rather well so that they were never caught off guard. She looked over to see his back heading through the doorway of his office and the office door closing behind him. She sighed and said softly. "Must have been a bad meeting."

_**Waiting Room, NAVINSGEN, The Pentagon, 1100hrs**_.

Morna looked up to see a statuesque redhead with striking green eyes smiling in front of her desk? Her face was Celtic looking and she looked like she was descended of those from the Emerald Isle. But she found that contrasted markedly with the United States Navy commander's uniform, three full gold stripes, with gold wings over her ribbons; a Navy Cross the top-most ribbon earned. "Hello… I'm Commander Maegyn O'Bannon. I was just wonderin' if Captain Nakamura was here. I heard through the grapevine that he was now posted to the Office of the Naval Inspector General." The redhead stated in a smooth voice.

Morna was startled. "Yes…he is…uh…ma'am…may I tell him you're here?"

"Just tell him there's an old friend waiting for him." Maegyn's eyes flashed with amusement. "…from flying days. That'll get him all hot and bothered." She grinned, showing a set of perfect white teeth as she laughed. "How long do you think that'll take him to get curious? Yeoman One?"

"I don't know…" Morna looked curiously towards the door. "Ma'am…maybe about three minutes. He's always curious if there's someone that he knows." That caused a burst of laughter from the both of them causing Lieutenant Commanders Tracy Manetti and Liandra Gracen to poke their heads out of the office to see what was causing the commotion.

"Who's that?" Lia asked, a bit intrigued as to the statuesque redhead standing in front of Morna's desk.

"I've never seen her around the Pentagon before…" Tracy admitted. "The Captain is remarkably tight-lipped about his flying days. He hardly says anything about them or the people he used to know."

"Sir, it's Yeoman Carran, sir. I have a Commander O'Bannon out here to see you…"

Tracy stage-whispered to Lia. "Wonder how long that will take…it didn't seem like he had a good meeting with the CNO. The captain held his calls for two hours. I checked with Morna."

"Tell her I'll be right out…" came Captain Nakamura's voice over the intercom. Inside of half a minute, the door swung open.

"IRISH! GODDAMN! HOW THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?!"

* * *

_**AN: Thought I'd bring back Irish…in this timeline, she doesn't get murdered. **_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Animal's Office, NAVINSGEN's Office, The Pentagon, 1100hrs. **_

"Sir, it's Yeoman Carran, sir. I have a Commander O'Bannon out here to see you…" the voice on the intercom sounded rather insistent.

_Maegyn? What's she doing here? I thought she was still on the Carl Vinson with the Black Aces._ Animal thought as he hurriedly scrawled a signature on the file that he had finished looking through then shoved it in his outbox and got up. He hadn't seen Maegyn in a long time since they had flown together the last deployment before the Fumble Fortress got wise and shit-canned his flight status. That was almost six months ago since the ceremony where he received the Medal of Honor. Since then he had been doing make-work at the five-sided outhouse on the Potomac hoping and praying that he would get a reprieve long enough to be able to make an escape.

"Tell her I'll be right out…" he called out to Morna over the intercom. As he opened the door he heard Manetti stage-whispering to LCDR Gracen. "Wonder how long that will take…it didn't seem like he had a good meeting with the CNO. The captain held his calls for two hours. I checked with Morna."

Animal crowed. "IRISH…GODDAMN! HOW THE HELL YOU BEEN?!" causing the redhead to look up from chatting with Morna about inconsequential things like the weather and grin widely.

"Hey, Animal!" Maegyn cheerily called out. "I was in town and I heard through the grapevine that you were hiding here."

"Hiding?" Animal snorted sarcastically as he looked her up and down. "More like kept in the dungeons and fed food and water…then periodically let out to gnaw on certain departments in the Navy."

"So…sailor…like what you see?" Maegyn as ever wasn't shy about certain things…and Animal grinned back at her.

"You do criminal things to that uniform…" Animal said as he looked her over up and down. "Absolutely criminal…" he grinned.

"Then maybe you should arrest me…" Maegyn's green eyes twinkled mischievously. She looked around his office and then purred softly. "So…care to take me out to the concourse and feed me lunch?" she said with a wicked grin.

_Oh my god_. Animal inaudibly groaned as something started reacting which he didn't want to in public. "Yeah…sure…" he croaked, his mouth suddenly dry. Maegyn loved teasing him. They'd had an intimate relationship that they had managed to keep out of the eye of the higher-ups which would have had him canned and thrown into Leavenworth, but then he thought. Maegyn and he weren't in the same chain of command anymore and smiled to himself. Maybe today might actually turn into a really good day yet.

"OK…I wanna go to Starbucks…then someplace where we can get some burgers." She grinned as she impatiently tapped her foot. "C'mon…I'm hungry. Let's go!"

"Impatient thing, aren't you?" Animal said as he zipped back into his office to grab his cover and they were off.

From the hallway, they could hear Maegyn reply. "Of course, I'm hungry…and you starved me for fifteen minutes interrogating me."

When the two senior officers had left, Lia turned to Tracy, "Who was she?" she asked.

"Well, I think that was one of Captain Nakamura's former squadron-mates. She still flies, so I hear." Tracy replied as they headed back into Lia's office to go over a few more things before lunch. "We really should think about grabbing some lunch too. It'll be noon in a little while."

_**Pentagon Concourse, Food Court**_

Maegyn looked over at her former squadron-mate. "So how are you liking it here?"

"I feel like a pariah…" was the simple answer. "I just got through an NAVINSGEN audit of JAG. Felt like the sacking of Troy. I got looked at like I was kicking a puppy…"

Maegyn looked at him curiously. This didn't seem like the gung-ho, take-no-prisoners Animal she remembered. "That bad, huh?" He seemed deflated somehow. Like part of what made him an aviator had been cut out and cauterized so that it wouldn't ever grow back. Even though he wore a set of naval aviator wings, he was essentially grounded. They wouldn't allow him back on active duty and he'd never get to fly in combat again. That's why he looked dead inside.

"Yeah…" He looked down at his hands. "Sometimes I wonder if it's worth it to stay in and do my full twenty. Maybe I should get out and go fly long-haul for an airline."

"You…trying to fly a 757 or 747? Sorry, sweet, but you're not cut out for that mundane stuff. You'd go crazy inside of a week and try to dogfight with a 737." Maegyn commented simply. "You're still a naval aviator through and through." Maegyn laid a soft hand on top of Animal's, her green eyes seeking out his brown. "You're just not doing what you had as a career mostly because the country wants to protect you."

"What's the difference between Medal of Honor recipients and recipients of the Navy Cross. You're just as much a hero as I am…" Animal looked like he was about to whine and Maegyn giggled. "How come you get to fly still?"

"Am I hearing you whine? You got your O-6 and a nice little staff job."

Animal looked at her sharply. "I'm not where I want to be…"

"Hon, Scuttlebutt has it that Tomcats are being retired by 2006. In fact there's several squadrons that are starting the process to convert to F/A-18E and F Super Hornets and we're supposedly supposed to be starting our conversion in 2000." She laughed as she saw Animal's horrified expression. Animal didn't like Hornets. "Our last Tomcat cruise is in 99, then we're done with the Tomcat. We start transitioning."

"…but Hornets SUCK!" At that several Marine and Navy aviators who actually flew the Hornet and were assigned at staff billets (that they would eventually get to leave) at the Pentagon looked up in annoyance and grumbled.

"Tomcat Puke…" one of them uttered.

Animal looked over at them, twisting his body around so that they could see his rack…especially the top ribbon. They looked over spotting that ribbon, and shut up quickly.

"So…how long are you here for?" Animal asked quietly reaching over to take her hands.

"Three weeks leave. Thought we could hang together for a while…" Maegyn said softly. "Maybe I can cheer you up."

"You gonna be here at the Pentagon till secure?"

"Yeah…" Maegyn replied.

"Well, you know where I work…so pick me up? Then we can convoy to my place…and catch up on old times." Animal offered.

"Catching up sounds good…" Maegyn's eyes twinkled and she smiled. "Might be something to look forward to…" she hinted, as she brushed her hand across his thigh causing him to suck in his breath quickly and groan as he involuntarily reacted to her touch.

"oh, just you wait till I get you back for that…tonight." He whispered softly.

"Promises, promises…" Maegyn murmured. "See you at secure, sailor. Got a quick meeting to attend…" she said as she got up. Animal thought what she did to that Navy uniform skirt of hers was absolutely criminal. He slowly watched the swaying of her behind as she walked towards the door. He groaned willing that reaction to lessen before he could stand up and return to his office.

_**JAG Headquarters, Falls Church, VA, 1300hrs**_

"Staff Call in the Admiral's office." Yeoman Tiner called out. "Admiral Morris would like to see his senior staff in his office." Harm and Mac looked at each other as they had just returned from their lunch and were just getting ready to dig into their files, but each shrugged their shoulders and headed for the office.

As they all stepped through Admiral Morris' door, the newly appointed _pro tem _Judge Advocate General looked up to gaze upon them with a saturnine expression. He kept them standing for a few minutes at a brace. "Lieutenant Commanders Rabb, Mattoni, Imes and Major Mackenzie. You are now aware that I have taken over command of the Judge Advocate General's office until such time as a new Judge Advocate is assigned to this office. The out-going Admiral has put my name forward as a potential candidate for this position but it will not be a permanent position until the Congressional committee meets and confirms the candidacy of this position, which means: it may or may not be me." He paused for a long moment. "I do intend to confine my duties on the bench to the cases that have been placed before me prior to the assumption of my duties and that are still on the court docket." He looked over at each and every one of the four senior lawyers in his office then said dourly. "You will still maintain a professional manner of conduct in my court and you, Mr. Rabb, will refrain from firing off any more automatic weapons in my courtroom, is that understood?"

"Yes, sir…" Harm replied, ensuring that he had nothing but a poker face expression that the admiral could read absolutely nothing into.

"Hmmmph." Admiral Morris growled. "I'll believe it when I see it, Commander!" He then fastened his gaze on the other three. "As for the rest of you…I urge you to use the same sort of restraint and avoid copying Lieutenant Commander Rabb's past transgressions." There was a chorus of eager yes sirs. "Dismissed!" Adm. Morris growled and each of the four senior lawyers about-faced and headed for the door exiting the lion's den as quickly as possible. Harm as he shut the door behind him grimaced as Mac tried to stop herself from giggling at the remembrance of Admiral Morris' look of distaste at having to look upon Harm's visage.

"What's so funny?" Harm asked, his tone rather annoyed as they transited the bull-pen.

"Oh, just your haste in trying to get on the admiral's good side." Mac snickered.

Harm looked offended. "Oh…and you weren't trying to get on his good side too?"

"No…I just do my work and keep my head down. Best way not to attract attention."

_**Animal's Office, NAVINSGEN's Office, The Pentagon, 1730hrs**_,

Animal wrapped up his files just as he heard Maegyn's voice in the waiting room again talking to his yeoman. Grabbing up his briefcase and his cover, he headed for the door. Lia and Tracy had left an half hour earlier at secure.

"Hey…" he said as he headed out the door of his office. "You're here."

"Just as I said I would be…" Maegyn grinned at him.

"Well, I'm calling it a night." Animal said to YN1 Carran. "You should too, Yeoman One."

"Aye, sir. Will do as soon as I finish this bit of correspondence that needs to get out to Air Wing One, sir." YN1 Morna Carran looked up and smiled. "You two have a good evening, sir, ma'am."

"Thank you, Yeoman One." Maegyn said and as they exited the door, she turned to him and said "She takes good care of you, doesn't she?"

"Yep. Keeps the office running efficiently or I'd be running around like a six legged octopus. A day late and two legs too short." Animal quipped. "Now let's get home…I want to spend some personal time with my favorite wingman."

"oooh…that sounds kinky…" Maegyn said as they walked side-by-side down the Pentagon hallways heading towards the exit.

"Hope you know where you're going…because I still get lost here. If we take a wrong turn we might not be found before the next millennia." Animal jokingly enlightened Maegyn.

"Well, that's males for you." Maegyn replied with a smirk. "All we females have to do is look for the exit sign. See…one right there."

_**Liandra's Apartment, 614-2475 Virginia Avenue, Georgetown, Washington DC**_. _**1745hrs**_

Lia crawled into her apartment exhausted from the drive. A blinking light on her answering machine alerted her to the fact that there was a call from someone. Dropping her things by the door, her coat on the coat-rack, and staggering to the couch, she sat down weary with all the things that were gone over by Tracy Manetti for the job that she was supposed to do. Unfortunately it seemed like the harder she tried to concentrate on getting the job done; the less she retained as far as the information she had learned today. She sighed, as she hit the play button on the answering machine.

_Hey, Lia, it's Harm. Just wondering how your day went at the Pentagon. Our place just got turned upside down. Looks like AJ Chegwidden got fired and now we got Rear Admiral Stiles Morris as JAG pro-tem until such time as either he or someone else gets confirmed for the position. It was a tough way for AJ to go, but maybe we can get together and grab a bite to eat. Or I can bring something over. You're probably too exhausted to cook properly anyways tonight. So let me do that for you." _

She grinned and picked up the phone, cutting off the rest of the message. Dialing Harm's number she waited until he picked up.

"Hey…I just got home. So…Harm, how did you get home quicker than me?" Listening to his reply, she laughed. "OK…I'll take advantage and have you bring me some dinner. Am I going to hear about what's going on over at JAG?" She asked him. When she got a reply in the affirmative she said. "Good. I don't want to walk into a situation where I don't know what the hell is going on." She got an estimated time of when she was going to see him that evening and they said goodbye and hung up.

"So…" Lia said. "The review did its damage." She looked over coldly in the direction of the Pentagon. Well, her new commanding officer wasn't going to be the recipient of her friendliness anytime soon.

_**Animal's Apartment, 503-4141 Henderson Road, Arlington, VA 1830hrs**_

"Hey…this is a nice place." Maegyn said sweetly as Animal opened the door of his apartment for her and let her go in first.

"It's quiet enough…" Animal said as he closed and locked the door and as he turned around, he found Maegyn snaking her arms around his neck and bringing his face down to hers for a deep, passionate kiss.

"God, I missed you…" she murmured softly. "Forget supper, I want you." Tugging him towards the bedroom, she whispered. "This is one of the reasons I came up to find you…" Animal followed her into the bedroom, partly because he was being pulled along by Maegyn, and partly because he too wanted her. Her uniform jacket was draped on the couch out by the door, and she was in just shirt and uniform skirt, also having kicked her heels off in the living-room. Tugging her uniform shirt off after she sensuously unbuttoned each button from her shirt, she cast it aside. In the moonlight, visible from the sliding door to the porch, she slipped out of her skirt, leaving a nice translucent white camisole which outlined her figure.

Gasping softly as Animal fastened his lips to her neck and sucked gently. "Mmmmmm…" Maegyn moaned softly. "Oh…yes…I want you…" Her hands started reaching down to his uniform trousers and removed them, dropping them to the parquet floor; then she started undoing his uniform shirt, which he had on a set of line officer captain's soft-boards with the four stripes and that got thrown to the floor too, and Maegyn started running her hands along Animal's bare chest. "Your chest is so hard and well-muscled." She said softly as she looked over at him. She ran her fingers softly along the scar that he had received from that spat in North Korea. She slid down the length of his body and pulled his black socks off his feet, then slid up part way and hooked her thumbs in his underwear. Yanking them down, she pulled them off as he lifted one leg and then the other. Animal gasped softly as she stood up and reached down with her hands. Then pulling her hands away she took the bottom of her camisole and yanked it off, then pulling her pantyhose down, leaving her bare to his sight.

"God, you're beautiful…" Animal groaned as Maegyn grasped him again, ensuring his continued cooperation. Then she pushed him to the mattress, and straddled him, taking him deep within her.

Maegyn softly spoke looking at him. "Well, this is what I wanted; I want you…" Leaning over, she kissed him fervently. "I want you to make love to me…" And he did as she asked. Her blissful cries as they went over the edge together. This wasn't the only time that they made love that night.

Much later, Maegyn stood under the shower, luxuriating in the feel of Animal's body close beside her as they stood under the pulsing jets of the water, their lips fastened to each others in a kiss that seemed to last for as long as they could breathe. The rivulets of water ran down their bare bodies as they embraced.

"I missed you so much…" Maegyn whispered softly as her eyes locked on his. "No matter what the flying does for me, it doesn't match spending this time with you, feeling our bodies close together as we make love."

_**AN:**__ Animal and Maegyn have had an intimate relationship for some time since they flew as wingmen with the Black Aces (that's a back-story which I may write one of these days). ___


	7. Chapter 7

_**Liandra's Apartment, 614-2475 Virginia Avenue, Georgetown, Washington DC**_. _**2045hrs**_

"So, do you think that the NAVINSGEN review was what sealed the deal for RADM Chegwidden to get fired?" Lia asked quietly as she gazed intently into the fireplace watching the embers going up the flue. Harm and Lia had talked over what possibly was going to happen in terms of the JAG office managing to make some changes.

"I think that probably was the catalyst" was Harm's response as he subsided into silence joining his friend in watching the fireplace.

Lia after a long silence, spoke up, "So who do you think is bound out of the office."

"Well, Mattoni was here before I was, so I think that Mattoni's on the RLSO transfer list. I'm not even going to be considered for commander until I get an RLSO billet so I have to be on the transfer list or I may even have to ship out of the JAG Corps to some other staff billet to be even considered for commander. It's a tough decision." Harm replied to Liandra who grumbled….

"…and just when I was getting used to the people…" Lia looked over at her friend who grinned.

"Well, thus goeth life and thus commandeth the Navy." Harm quoted.

"You sound like a dime-store bible. Thou's, blessed…etc…" Lia stated. "Now, you fed me…and hung around denting the couch cushions. I think we've pretty much talked over what we can talk about with regards to what's going on at JAG. And frankly, I think it's getting late. My dear friend…so you should amscray your way out of here so that you can get some rest before work. I'll call you about transferring the Emmonds case to Bud as I'm shuttling between the Pentagon and Falls Church."

"Awwww…" Harm whined, pretending to lean his head down on Lia's lap. "But it's so comfy here…"

"Git…you're going to eat me out of house and home…" Lia grumbled.

"Aye aye, ma'am." Harm said as he got up, gave her a jaunty salute and headed out the door. Leaning back into the doorway he said. "Hey, Lia, don't forget to lock the door after me." Lia managed to haul herself out of the comfy couch and did as he suggested, after he shut the door behind him. Setting both deadbolts, she grinned at Harm's behavior.

"One would think he can't even get himself a date the way he wants to hang out here…" Lia said quietly to herself as she roused herself long enough to grab a book and read before bed. She'd get up early in the morning to shower and get ready, but looking at the rest of the empty bed beside her sort of brought her spirits down. As much as she joked about Harm being the perpetual bachelor, she was living it. And there really wasn't a significant other in the works. Harm was the ever-present bachelor who enjoyed a bevy of women hanging around him; she thought, and he certainly wasn't partial to her even though he teased her all the time. For Harm, there was Mac and the partners that came before her, like Meg and Kate. She didn't even rate in the picture and for that, Lia uttered a deep depressing sigh as she curled up in the bed, picked up her book and tried to ignore the solid ache of loneliness in her heart.

_**Animal's Apartment, 503-4141 Henderson Road, Arlington, VA 2100hrs**_

Animal grinned at a thoroughly drenched, naked and clean Maegyn O'Bannon who grinned back at him unabashed by her nudity. One of the reasons why Animal had bought the apartment was the size of the shower installed in this two bedroom three-bathroom apartment. It was large enough for two people to shower comfortably and the main bathroom was a wet-room which allowed for quick showering and getting out without stubbing toes and tripping over things. And all it required was a quick mop every so often so that mildew wouldn't grow. Animal was finding out that it was useful for other things too of the more intimate sort, but that wasn't originally what he had intended. Having Maegyn there was a pleasant reason for using the bathroom intimately.

"So…hungry yet?" Animal asked after they both laughed following a grumbling from Animal's stomach.

"I think so. What's open around this time of night that we can order from?" Maegyn looked demurely at him.

"DC doesn't have much, but there's always Chinese food." Animal said referring to a place called China Express just down the road. It was a hole-in-the-wall eatery that had a decent selection of Chinese dishes that were done well and good enough for dinner, he thought. And they delivered relatively quickly.

"Remember we always used to eat that when we were on shore-duty?" Maegyn said as she dried off with a fluffy towel and then grabbed a second one for her hair as she tousled it to a slightly damp state. Looking at him, she leaned into him. "Yeah…I think I'm still hungry. Better feed me…" she said huskily as she fastened those lambent green eyes on him.

Animal gave her a wicked grin. "Well, sweetheart, you'd better get some clothes on or you might be giving the delivery boy a show."

"You've got a point there…Animal." She replied, as she bent over, firm well-exercised butt in the air, while Animal whistled appreciatively, and pulled open his dresser drawer to pull out a Top Gun t-shirt of his, pulled it over her shoulders and pulled it down past her butt. Then reaching into her seabag she pulled out a pair of panties and slipped them on. In a throaty voice she said with a wink, "Enjoying the show?" she asked, evilly knowing that this was arousing the hell out of him.

"Oh, yeah…but I'd better order if we want to eat." Animal croaked; evidently his mouth had gone dry and his tongue felt about two sizes too big for his mouth. Maegyn grinned as she knew exactly what she was doing to him and didn't stop. Brushing a light finger down his abdominal tensor muscles, she laughed lightly when she saw his body tense up; as well as a certain other part too. Looking down she noticed she had him right where she wanted him.

Whispering softly. "You'd better get dressed too…or you might be giving the delivery person a show…even though I'm…enjoying it…" and then lightly brushed her hand across said part.

Animal sucked in a breath of air as her hand went south and said. "You are so evil…"

"I know…" Maegyn whispered in his ear.

"Now I'm going to have to wait until this reaction goes away…" Animal grumbled piteously while Maegyn laughed.

Maegyn reached into his top drawer, pulled out a set of underwear, a t-shirt and some sweatpants and tossed them over. "…and I'll enjoy watching…" she winked at him, as she grabbed another pair of sweatpants and drew them over her legs, pulling them up.

After Animal made the call, he looked over at Maegyn who was happily browsing Animal's collection of DVDs. "Shall we watch a movie while we're waiting?" she asked as Animal hung up the phone.

"We'd only get through less than half the movie." He replied and then informed her that it would be about forty minutes for the Chinese food to be delivered. "Instead, why don't we just enjoy the closeness and snuggle on the couch."

"Sounds good, flyboy…didn't know you men were into that sort of thing…" Maegyn said as she reached up an arm to bring Animal close to her as he sat down. "You smell good when you're clean." She teased as she leaned in enjoying the comfortable closeness that the two of them always seemed to share.

It had always been an easy relationship and there had been an enjoyable physical side to that too, but they knew that as long as they were in the Navy, getting married and having a family was out of the question; especially with Maegyn being an active duty naval aviator flying fast jets. So they knew that their time together was a blessing and enjoyed the close physical contact for what it was – just two _friends with benefits_. Of course Animal wondered what it would be like with Maegyn if she did opt to finish up her flying career, but she had a promising career as a naval aviator and as a squadron XO, then she would have her command tour, then a possible position as a Commander, Air Wing (CAG), but after that…but how many years would that be? He realized that he was out of the running as anything other than a staff-puke. But at least at the Office of the Naval Inspector General, he wasn't going to lose his line-stars nor would he ever have to hang up his wings and take them off his uniform. He had worked too damned hard for that and the Medal had pretty much sealed the deal that he could wear anything he damned well wanted provided he had earned them.

"You still hang around Harm?" Maegyn asked; that tall drink of water of a former naval aviator was always a good solid friend of Animal's. She hadn't seen him around since the two of them were still former naval aviators when the VF-41 and VF-241 were flying joint CAP over the Med. That ramp-strike had been a bad one and Harm was lucky to have survived.

"Yeah, he's around." Animal replied. "He now works out of Falls Church. He's a JAG."

"So, I'm the only one still flying out of the three of us, huh?" Maegyn said.

Animal glowered at her, trying hard to be angry, but he couldn't; not with her. "Yeah…evidently so." He said shortly. But not flying did hurt. But it seemed like that was destined to be his fate; a glorified staff puke till his twenty five; maybe thirty was up.

Maegyn sensing his quietness for what it was, reached an arm around him and nestled in to try to comfort him, "You hate it, don't you?" she said softly. "You feel like the CNO yanked the rug out from under you." Animal nodded quietly.

"Nearly had an altercation with the JAG this morning. Called into the office to witness him get shit-canned. Then nearly had a fist-fight with him in the CNO's waiting room. He was standing there, kindly put, wanting an explanation for why I jammed a knife in his back." Animal muttered. "I don't know if I can keep doing this."

"But you don't have your twenty in, do you?" Maegyn commented as she leaned in and rested her head on his cheek. "…if you quit, where does that leave you?"

"No retirement, nothing to fall back on…" Animal replied; "I'd have to start over from scratch, see if the airlines are hiring and you probably remember what you said about that. Can't get ACM out of my blood."

"So…like it or not, you're going to have to stick it out-" Maegyn replied then a knock on the door indicated that the delivery was there for their food. As Animal opened the door, a hint of chow mein smell came wafting into his apartment. Animal paid for the food, shut the door and locked it and they brought the dinner over to the dining room table. Pulling out the chow mein from the bag, there were several other Chinese food aluminum trays. Animal looked over at Maegyn who was opening up the trays. In the first circular one there was chicken chow mein as was in the second, the third contained beef and bean chop suey, the fourth contained deep-fried prawns and a fifth contained egg-rolls. "mmmm…this is a feast." Maegyn murmured as she looked over at Animal.

_**Animal's Apartment, 503-4141 Henderson Road, Arlington, VA 0545hrs**_

The alarm clock went off, waking Animal out of a deep sleep; nestled in his arms was Maegyn, naked again under the covers. Animal groaned softly as he nuzzled Maegyn. "Hey…beautiful, time to wake up."

One green eye opened, eyed the clock with a malevolent jade glare and Maegyn growled. "Do you know what time it is?" It seemed like a rhetorical question at the time, but Animal figured he'd better answer it.

"I have to report at 0700hrs and you know what the traffic's like in DC."

"Luckily you live close to the Pentagon…" Maegyn said archly.

"You're on leave, right?" Animal asked.

"That's right." Maegyn replied and then commented "You do realize that with morning traffic, you're still only fifteen minutes from the Pentagon. I don't know how you lucked out on this place, but it's really close. I do need to swing by Joint Base Andrews today…to pick up some uniforms. Some of my shipboard peanut butters are getting a bit frayed and I should replace them before I look like a reject from McHale's Navy." Animal grinned at that. "Well, you know where I'll be…"

"Yeah, good thing…since I'm staying over." Maegyn grinned, giving him a kiss on the lips. "You got a spare key?"

"Sure…just so long as you don't invite the rest of the reprobates over…"

"Of course not." Maegyn looked insulted. "Those guys would probably turn the music up too loud and trash the place. And it's my nice little home away from home…" she winked at him. "Now you'd better hustle if you're planning to head in to work. You gotta take a shower or anybody getting any will know what you've been doing last night…and early morning…" she teased.

_**JAG HQ, Falls Church, VA, 2 days later, 0700hrs**_

"Good morning, Lieutenant Commander Austin, I see you've been recently promoted. Two years minimum time in rank is quite the achievement considering you were only selected for Lieutenant two years ago." LCDR Meg Austin knew that she was frocked, she still drew the pay of a Lieutenant, but was frocked to wear Lieutenant Commanders two and a half stripes on her service blues and RDML Stiles Morris was looking at her with his usual unreadable gaze.

"Thank you, sir." Meg replied.

"It seems that we lost your services for a few years. You were shuttled to NAVINTEL, were you not?" Morris asked.

"Yes, sir. Other than that, I am not at liberty to disclose…" LCDR Austin replied.

"Understandable." Morris continued. "However, the office dynamics have changed from the time that you have been there. Commander Krennick is now in Naples, Lieutenant Commander Rabb is still here, but there are other staff who have just come in and you will have to work with them on a regular basis." In there was a silent warning that he expected Meg to fit in. "Now Lieutenant Commander Rabb is wrapping up his three years at Falls Church, however he may end up having to move to another Region Legal Services Office or he may as a matter of fact be pushed into another segment of the staff officers corps all together. Right now, we have a JAG officer alternating duties with NAVINSGEN office however we will need to recall her as she has been slated for other duties requiring her presence to be here. And one of our people who has been needing a full-time position in another staff corps office, will go over on a full-time basis for a three year term before rotating out to command an RLSO. You will fit in to cover the litigation slate."

"Yes, sir." Meg replied wondering just how she was drawn into the logistics end of the restructuring of the JAG office.

"It's good to see you back. Lieutenant Commander Austin. We'll see you at Staff Call at 0800hrs and then we will see if we can assign you an office." RDML Stiles Morris welcomed her.

_**JAG HQ, Falls Church, VA, 0800hrs.**_

Harm and Mac walked into the board-room where the staff-meeting took place every weekday morning to go over the cases that they were working on. Lia was at the Pentagon till the end of the week and then she would be back at JAG rotating every other week to the Pentagon; at least as far as Lia had disclosed to Harm.

They took their seats beside Mattoni, Imes and Bud. Lia's seat was noticeably empty. When the door opened, they looked up to see RDML Stiles Morris walking in, Taking the seat at the head of the table, he said. "Good morning. It's quite the change from RADM Chegwidden, but I will try to keep the dissonance down to a bare minimum. We have had our first replacement attorney come in. She was in transit from Naval Station Yokosuka. Welcome…" he greeted the person who entered the office, a tall Lieutenant Commander with blue eyes and slightly longer blonde hairstyle than what she wore when she was last at JAG.

Harm's jaw suddenly fell open.

"Thank you, sir." The familiar Texas twang of her voice sent shivers down his spine. He barely noticed the glare that he was getting from Major Sarah Mackenzie beside him. "Morning, all…Excuse me, I was late, my apologies."

"That's quite all right." Morris replied. "We take into account how long you've had to travel and realize that you're fighting jet lag."

"Well, thank you for the consideration, sir."

"Would everyone welcome Lieutenant Commander Austin from Naval Station Yokosuka. She is transferring into JAG and will be PCS to us from her former billet." RDML Morris smiled. _ That'll throw the office dynamic into turmoil_. He thought smugly.

"Lieutenant Commander Liandra Gracen will be recalled from the NAVINSGEN and she will be replaced by Lieutenant Commander Harmon Rabb. LCDR Rabb, you will PCS direct to NAVINSGEN for the next three years until we can get an XO post for you at an RLSO." Harm's jaw dropped open. "Major Mackenzie, you will be posted to RLSO Southwest as a PDO (Personal Development Officer). Lieutenant Commander Mattoni, you are to be JAG on board the USS Patrick Henry. Lieutenant Commander Carolyn Imes, you are posted to RLSO Northwest as PDO. All of these posts take effect with one week transit time slotted in for travel and housing. You have two weeks to finish up your duties here or return them for reassignment of legal counsel. Are we all clear on those? Now, shall we go over the status of our cases? There will be other officers coming in over the next few weeks so there will be a ton of upheaval in this office, however none of that should affect the completion or reassignment of your current case load. Am I clear on that?"

"Yes, sir." The officers chorused.

Harm and Mac looked at each other. This was shocking. Meg looked just as shocked. Most of the people in the room were slated to be assigned to other locations just as she was moved in. She would have to talk to Harm to find out what was going on that caused that major upheaval at JAG. And RADM AJ Chegwidden was conspicuous with his absence. Could Stiles Morris be the new JAG? She shook her head to try to clear it because this wasn't making any sense at all. The familiarity of her former post was just blown all to hell.

_**JAG HQ, Falls Church, VA, 0900hrs. **_

Walking through the bullpen, Meg walked over to the office where Harm was ensconced in a file folder with the door shut. She knocked quietly on the door – she could feel the hostility coming from the office next door since the Marine Major had been glaring daggers at her all staff meeting.

"Hey, you there?" She asked softly.

Harm looked up and motioned her to enter. "Shut the door." He said briefly before returning his eyes to the folder.

"Harm…"

Harm looked up at her and said quietly "You left…without saying anything…"

"Harm…" Meg replied barely able to be heard, "I had no choice. Krennick was asking too many questions, and Turque was planning on bringing up our involvement when they tried to nail you for the Schonke murder. So I put in an expedited transfer out of JAG."

Harm said bitterly. "all the way to Yokosuka…and it left me hanging wondering where you left and why…" He snorted caustically. "Now you're back…and now I'm leaving…but at least you know where I'll be…"

"Harm, I can't take away the hurt…" Meg said. "But…at least maybe we can try to see what we missed..." she paused for a long moment "…having…"

Harm sighed deeply; "…and what happens the next time you get cold feet, Meg? Are you going to run again?"

"That's not fair, Harm." Meg said as she sat down in the chair in front of his desk. "The case with Diane Schonke's murder was circumstances beyond our control. Krennick was out of control and she was going to take both our reputations and smear them beyond repair. She was going to insinuate that we had a closer relationship than just partners."

Harm looked at her, his eyes colder than Meg remembered. The last time she had seen his eyes that harsh, he was going after Dirk Grover. "So…Meg…" he said "What do we actually have?" the bitterness in his voice was dripping.


	8. Chapter 8

_**JAG HQ, Falls Church, VA, 0905hrs**_

Meg was taken aback by the bitterness emanating from Harm. His whole tense body posture and the unflinching stare from him made her emotional equilibrium unsettled. What could she really say that would bring back their friendship? Her unilateral decision to flee the JAG headquarters situation made the entire situation worse. "I was hoping that we could talk…tonight" Meg said, "…maybe come to an understanding of why I did what I did."

"I'd like to hear the reasoning behind up and leaving…without even telling me that you were going." Harm replied, "…Lieutenant Commander." The sarcasm behind his utterance of her rank cut her to the core. He had never been like this before, "I'm sure that it'll be interesting at least…"

"Well…by your leave, Lieutenant Commander Rabb…" Meg said formally and left the office. Harm let out a deep sigh. He hadn't really meant to be that cutting, but the simple fact that it had been two years since she had left and the fact that he had changed, perhaps gotten more cynical in the process – the fact that Mac had used his heart for a yoyo, shoving him away and then pulling him back. He didn't figure that he had it in him to trust too many people other than the people that he had formerly flown with. He swore softly under his breath as he stuck his head in the case file. Picking up the phone, he dialed Bud's extension.

"Lieutenant JG Roberts." The ever-eager voice of the young Lieutenant JG on the other end of the line brought Harm a small smile at least.

"Bud, Lieutenant Commander Gracen will be in contact with you about the Emmonds case, however I want you to turn her down."

"Sir? Why is that?"

"Firstly, you're still in night school; secondly this is one that a lawyer only on the Virginia bar can manage." Harm declared. "…and I need you to find me another attorney to cover this…because of my impending PCS change to NAVINSGEN."

"Sir we may have to wait on the case until we get an idea of who is coming in to replace those slated to leave for different billets, sir." Bud replied, still sounding a bit confused. "I know that I'm a bit too junior and just recently shuttled in to be considered as transferrable, however the four of you, sir, are outbound."

"That's good thinking on your part, Bud." Harm replied looking over the file while he had the phone cradled on his shoulder. "Maybe it might be better to just wait on transferring the file. I'll go see how far along the docket is, and maybe we can try for a quick…plea-bargain and clear the slate. See if Liandra will consider it."

"Well, sir, I wouldn't underestimate Lieutenant Commander Gracen. She's probably not going to bite." Bud's voice didn't sound like he agreed with Harm's assessment of the case.

_**NAVINSGEN's Office, The Pentagon, 1100hrs. **_

Lieutenant Commander Liandra Gracen looked up at the knock on her door to see a familiar face. "Harm, what are you doing here?"

"Well…Admiral Morris wants these case files cleared up…and I need a bit of your time." Harm said as he leveled a wary look at Animal's closed door. "But I'm going to need to clear it with your CO first." He said. "I need to clear the Emmonds case off my slate really fast. There's been some major changes that have cropped up. Lia and I need to make sure that my slate is clear."

"OK…" Lia said. "But I sense a plea-bargain negotiation coming up. But let me warn you in advance, counselor, I'm not going to make it easy for you."

"Wouldn't think of it…" Harm grinned as he headed out her office door and across the NAVINSGEN logo'd carpet over to Animal's office, stopping only to pound the pine.

"ENTER!" was the growled command. Harm winced. That tone didn't bode well.

Harm entered the office. Like most Navy offices, it was wood-paneled and was mostly decorated with Navy memorabilia; paintings and personal souvenirs. There was a scale model of his F-14A Tomcat in VF-41 Black Aces livery. Sitting beside it were a couple of "Remove Before Flight" tags. His HGU-33/P flight helmet with MBU-14/P oxygen mask was on the shelf. There was a picture frame shadow box with the squadron patches of the squadrons he had served with that used to be on his flight suit arrayed neatly displayed on the wall behind his desk. Also displayed on the bookshelves were also photos, neatly in frames, of him and his squadron-mates. Grinning slightly as he noticed there was a photo of him and Animal hanging out on the airframe of a Howler's F-14A Tomcat on one of the shelves; he said. "I didn't know you liked taking a stroll down memory lane, sir." He also noticed the numbered painting of the Sukhoi Killers on his wall in honor of Commander Hank Kleeman and Larry Muszynski. There was also surprisingly a painting of a Howlers F-14A Tomcat with a MiG 29 going down in flames as well on the other wall. That was homage to Animal's MiG Kill during the Gulf War; a Van Heght from the looks of it; not that Harm was very knowledgeable about military aviation art. Neither was Animal, but he would snag a nice painting if there was one.

Animal snorted, "Well, since the only thing that I'll be flying from now on is a desk…" he said sarcastically. "I figured, I'd make it seem as though my office was a dedication to my now passé flying career; at least until I finish my twenty and start flying for United or American." Animal had a vague sense of déjà vu when Harm snorted, his face revealing his disbelief.

"Sir, you'd be bored out of your mind."

"Yeah…that's what Maegyn said too." Animal replied. "And I quote. _You'd go crazy inside of a week and try to dogfight with a 737._ Knowing me, I'd probably try it too. So what brings you out to the Five-Sided Squirrel Cage?"

"Well, I have to clear up some cases before I get PCS'd to your office. Evidently since this section of NAVINSGEN isn't working out of the Navy Yard, I'm your new legal-beagle and Lia is going back to JAG…" Harm replied.

"So I hear…" Animal's reply was non-committal; he already knew that was going down, thanks to the CNO clueing him in on the changes, but he didn't want to let off that he already knew. "I'll let the JAG pro-tem break the news to her."

"I just need to borrow Lia for a while today to try to see if we can hash out some kind of deal so that the Emmonds case comes across the admiral's desk as complete before I permanent change of station." Harm said. "Rear Admiral Stiles Morris is now the JAG _pro tem_ till he gets confirmed…that is…if he gets confirmed."

Animal nodded. There was scuttlebutt around the NAVINSGEN that there was going to be some confirmation happening soon. "OK…since Lieutenant Commander Gracen is going back to JAG, she won't be dealing with too much on her slate here. And I'll see you on Monday next week. Lieutenant Commander Tracy Manetti will be showing you the ropes here. Hope you can get that case sorted by this Friday secure. Because I expect your ass here at 0700hrs…we got another inspection, this time with Headquarters US 2nd Fleet."

"Aye, sir!" Harm said. "I'll get right to it…" referring to the chat with Lia and their case. "So I can be bright n' bushy-tailed first thing Monday morning, sir…may I just say that I'm absolutely glad to be here…" Harm sounded overly cheerful. Of course he saw the bright side of being transferred to NAVINSGEN. At least he'd be away from the Chinese fire drill that would be the JAG office for the next few months as everyone tried to sort out what the hell they were doing.

"Hoo-fucking ra…" Animal muttered under his breath. "Good…dismissed…" as Harm grinned.

Harm cheerily bade Animal farewell as he about-faced and headed for the door. The position was a good lock for him as he needed a staff position somewhere to qualify for the next rung up to an executive officer position. He didn't know where he'd be placed after selection for O-5; he'd be in the zone in a year, but Harm knew that he would need an XO position somewhere. If there was a position in an RLSO somewhere in the CONUS, he'd be happy, but he'd be just as happy if he was selected for a RLSO position in Japan at Yokosuka.

_**Starbucks, Pentagon, 1200hrs**_

"Look, Lia, your guy has no case, he's been absent without leave on three different occasions where the CO has given him non-judicial punishment. He's used up all his rope. If we're going to clear this case, you're going to have to give me better than that."

"Harm, He's already explained his reasoning behind that, each time his wife had a complication in her pregnancy that required her to be hospitalized. Now, I'm going to ask for non-judicial punishment, loss of rank two steps…and a PCS to a shore billet." Lia replied.

"Two weeks brig time, disciplinary letter in his jacket. Loss of rank three steps and a PCS shore billet."

"You're pushing it…Harm." Lia growled ominously. "One week, disciplinary letter, and TWO steps loss of rank. PCS billet to shore. He's going to need the money…for the baby…"

"OK…go see if the AT2 will agree to that…and I'll see if I can manage to inform the judge presiding on what we're going to do. Let me know if he agrees ASAP." Lia looked smug as she drank her grande café macchiato and Harm grumbled. "That doesn't mean you won. It was a plea bargain."

"I still got you to agree; that means I got the better end of the deal…chalk it up in the win column." Lia stuck her tongue out at him. "I'll see if the captain will let me out long enough to go see my client." Harm just gave up and gave the win to Lia.

"We'll see if your client accepts the plea-agreement. You may have to sell it to him…"

"Well, I don't know if I can sell ice to Eskimos, but I'll try…" Lia replied with a touch of humor as she smiled at Harm. "He may agree, maybe he won't. If he doesn't we'll go through this whole damned merry-go-round again."

_**Animal's Office, NAVINSGEN's Office, The Pentagon, 1300hrs**_

Lia knocked on the door of Animal's office, noticing that the door was ajar. Animal looked up, still seated in his chair and motioned her silently in. Lia stepped forward, stopped two steps from the front of his desk and braced to attention. "Sir. Something has come up with one of my cases at JAG and I have to go see my client, sir."

"And this cannot be dealt with out of hours?" Animal raised an eyebrow, his expression stony.

"No, sir. It's a time-sensitive case and there has been a breakthrough. I would really appreciate some time."

"Where is the client at…so that I know if I can expect you back today or whether you'll be gone past secure…" Animal glowered. Missing a staff-member wouldn't be a good situation if one wanted to get anything done, but if the case was necessary, he would have to allow it. And he knew to not press for further details other than the location that she would have to go to to interview the client. He was aware of the rules of disclosure for sensitive information and assumed that it would be the same for legal cases as well; client privilege that was.

"Sir, he's sequestered at the Washington Naval Yard Brig." Lia replied…"I should probably be back about 1500; 1530hrs to be safe, sir."

"Very well…I suggest you expedite it. I do have need of you here…" Animal replied curtly.

"Yes, sir…" her reply was equally curt.

"Dismissed."

As Lia exited his office, she closed the door behind her, quickly grabbing her purse and cover and her briefcase, she headed out into the corridors of the _fumble-fortress_ to go find her car in the parking lot.

Meanwhile, Animal back in the office grumbled about the files that seemed to have multiplied on his desk. Did the damned things breed like rabbits? Rolling his eyes, unseen by anyone else, in the privacy of his office, he stood up out of his chair, walked over to the shelf, selected a CD, hit power on the Onkyo component stereo system on both the receiver and CD player components that he was able to pick up at a local electronic audio shop, hitting the CD button on the receiver, he turned the volume knob a quarter turn, then hit the tray out button on the CD player which was a basic model which worked well enough for him. He flipped the cover of the jewel case and gently removed the CD of the Pinnock recording of Coronation Anthems by Georg Frideric Handel. Hitting play on the CD player, he watched the tray slip back into the CD player. The gentle violins at the intro to _Zadok the Priest_ lulled him into a much more pleasant mood as he sat down in his seat again and opened up yet another file. Maybe baroque music would give him some peace that was sort of lacking in the everyday hustle and bustle of the Pentagon.

About ten minutes later out in the office area the USACOM (United States Atlantic Command) USMC General Gregor "Greg" Skalicky looked over at YN1 Carran and said "So…someone in here listens to classical?" as the faint refrains of "The King Shall Rejoice" echoed through the reception area.

"Yes, sir…the Captain tends to listen to it when he's agitated to calm himself down." Morna answered the USACOM's direct question.

"Good choice…your commander has good taste in music." the stalwart, grizzled Marine with the regulation high and tight said. "That sounds like a Pinnock recording. Can tell by the way his choir clearly enunciates the words in the chorus." He surprised Morna who thought that most Marines were of the _jarhead _variety who bashed their chests together and gave each other licked thumbs in the ear during wrestling contests. To find a Marine who could enjoy the fine arts outside of Sousa marches was an eye-opener. "So…any chance I can get in to see Captain Nakamura today?" he grinned affably.

"Of course, sir. Four stars beats an eagle, sir." Morna grinned at him, "Just one moment, sir." Stabbing a button on the phone, she spoke. "Sir. General Skalicky here to see you, sir."

"Send him in immediately…" was the curt order from Animal's office.

General Skalicky walked in to see Animal standing at a brace behind the desk. "Sir!" Animal said. "What can I help you with, sir."

"Well, USACOM has just been notified that there will be a USACOM inspection by NAVINSGEN."

"Well, sir, that is farther down on my list, sir, I just follow what VADM Bennett orders me to do, sir." Animal replied pointing at his files.

"I'm sure though that you'll find nothing the matter with the command. All files will be open to you and all financials outlining everything the command has requisitioned and expenses that the command has incurred. Also, if you will be assessing esprit de corps, I'm sure that you will find that the command is adequately motivated. Captain." The general stated briskly as he looked over at the stereo system. "By the way, Captain. Fine taste in music. I've always liked the Baroque period in music. Fancy stuff but better than that manufactured crap that they call music nowadays." He stated noting that the CD by the stereo. "Pinnock was a good recording for a 1995 release."

"I always buy a recording if it says Pinnock, sir." Animal replied, he knew that Skalicky was trying to get on his good side, but as a NAVINSGEN, he had to be impartial in his findings. After all efficiency in the military involved making sure that every expenditure was being used to maximum effect. Waste was not good and poor morale was even worse.

"Well, good. I'll see you then." Skalicky replied. "You have a good day now, Captain."

"Yes, sir." …nodding at Animal, Skalicky departed closing the door behind him. Animal thought to himself as he smiled wryly. _Well, that was swell…_

At 1500hrs, Lia popped her head back in the office door to let him know that she was back from her client interview and then shut the door to go back to talking with LCDR Manetti.

At 1640hrs, Animal heard the door open to the office and saw a smiling Maegyn. "Hey…you still listen to that stuff?" Maegyn grinned. "Man, that stuff is old…" she said looking over at his CD. "You know this guy has been dead almost two hundred forty years?"

"Well, he may be dead, but his music sure isn't." Animal riposted, his eyes a lot more cheerful now that Maegyn was there. "…and your favorite music is what…again? Some hair metal band out of Los Angeles? Starts with D or something?"

"Hey, it's Dokken and they're good." Maegyn said smugly. "At least they're not maggot food like the guys you listen to."

"Hmmph!" Animal grumbled acerbically. "Well, at least my music has melodic lyrics rather than thrashing guitars, guys screaming at the top of their lungs and beating the crap out of drum kits."

Maegyn didn't even sound insulted in the least and grinned at him. "Well…you just about ready to pack it in for the day?"

"Yup, just about…" Animal replied as he gathered his files together. "It's been a long day…" He packed everything in his briefcase, shut off the stereo and grabbed his cover from the coat-rack by the corner and prepared to shut off the light in the office. "I think I can secure…" he said as he looked at the clock. It said 1702hrs, so he ushered Maegyn outbound through the door and locked the door behind him. Looking over at Morna he said. "Morna, what time are you securing at?"

"Just a few more files to do and I'll be securing, sir." His yeoman replied.

"Well, try to get out while the sun is still above the horizon, right?" Animal said and then leaning in to the office that Lia and Tracy were using. "Tracy, Lia, I'm securing for the evening. Don't be too long here either. Too many of us end up stuck in here not seeing daylight for hours. Like I told Morna, get out while there's still some sun to enjoy."

"Aye, sir." Tracy said. "You have a good evening, Captain."

"Good night. Sir." Lia said briefly, she'd be back at JAG on Monday, according to what Harm had told her at lunch today; all the more better to be able to get out of the fumble fortress and back at Falls Church where she belonged. She watched the retreating backs of the two senior officers leaving the NAVINSGEN branch office at the Pentagon.

_**Liandra's Apartment, 614-2475 Virginia Avenue, Georgetown, Washington DC, 1830hrs**_

Dialing Harm's cellular phone, Lia smiled smugly to herself when he picked up. "Rabb!" she heard on his end of the line.

"I won!" she smugly told him.

"You won what?" Harm asked.

"I talked to my client, he agreed to the one week confinement, disciplinary letter, and two steps loss of rank and PCS billet to shore. He agreed to my terms…and so did you. So…I won!" she grinned though Harm couldn't see her self-satisfied grin over the phone but the tone was still smug.

"I conceded." Harm protested feebly. "You still have no case…"

"Semantics, counsellor. I still won!" she crowed, and rightly she did, as a win against Harm was a rarity.

"All right." Harm grumbled but Lia knew that he was just playing with her. "you win…"


	9. Chapter 9

_**Harm's, North of Union Station, Washington DC, 1835hrs**_

"I'm just pulling your leg, Harm…" Lia laughed, her voice mellifluous. "We tied. You agreed, I agreed, so it's a draw…" Harm grinned. That was Lia. She loved to yank his leg a good one. And that's why he liked her…a lot. At least she had never had cause to cut him deeply like Mac did. The words that Mac had used _"Oh Harmon Rabb Jr, so righteous, so pure, you've never had a weak moment in your life have you? Oh wait a minute, I forgot, Yeah you have had weak moments! The long lost father, neurotic Annie!"_ And then the next day, there wasn't an apology; that woman passed off apologies like there was some sort of weakness in admitting that she was in the wrong. _Sure I feel strong,_ Harm thought to himself. _And certainly I act bull-headed sometimes, but in the end, I'm just a human like anyone else. I can be hurt emotionally too. I was so close to finding out about where my father was and she used that to hit me right where it hurt. _

And now Meg was back. What the hell? He didn't know which way to turn. There was Lia (whom he'd never thought of as anything other than as a sister that he never had until now), Mac (whom he still didn't know what to make of), and now Meg…well, he did have to talk things over with Meg. He had said some cutting things to Meg, a byproduct of how he had been treated by Mac. If he had to work with her, he'd have to smooth things over beforehand. Harm mentally thought over how he had behaved in the office and realized that he'd been a grade A ass to Meg.

"Hey…Harm, you still there?" Lia's voice was curious.

"Yeah, I'm still there…" Harm broke out of his preoccupation just long enough to gamble on a play. "Hey…Lia, I still haven't eaten. There's a restaurant that I've been meaning to check out just south west of where you live. You wanna check it out with me?" He ventured to ask her thinking that just maybe she might say yes.

"OK…counselor, you got me…I'm hungry and I was just thinking about what I was going to cook, but looked in the fridge and forgot that I hadn't done my grocery shopping for the week. So it's either make do with waffles for dinner or accept your offer." She teased gently.

"Well, how about I pick you up in about twenty and we can go down there…and grab a bite to eat?" Harm said, not really knowing why his heart-pace had picked up just a slight bit when she said _yes_. "That sound good?"

"Twenty minutes, it is…Harm…"

_**Animal's Apartment, 503-4141 Henderson Road, Arlington, VA 1850hrs. **_

Maegyn leaned up against Animal as he was at the range throwing together something for a meal for the both of them. "Hey, that smells good, what is it?" she asked snaking an arm around back to rest on his hip. She wasn't much shorter than him by about an inch.

"It's called _Skillet Goulash_…just tomatoes, regular onions and tomatoes and cheddar cheese mixed together with some salt n' pepper." Animal grinned, leaning his head to rest it against Maegyn; who snuggled in close. "It's a quick recipe when I don't want to eat out and don't really care to do much in the way of putting together a meal."

"You said tomatoes twice..." Maegyn grinned looking at Animal, then back at the simmering pile of ground beef, tomato, onion, cheese mix, sniffing the air appreciatively. "Yeah…you always seem to take the easy way out when it comes to cooking, but I'll admit that it smells good..." she gave him a light kiss on the lips, "You always sell yourself short on your culinary abilities. And considering the fact that I've eaten your home-cooked meals before…"

"I'd have to take a course to get better at it…I just learned enough to keep myself fed." Animal replied as he gave the mixture another vigorous stir with the spatula. Finding the right frying pan had been a nightmare until he'd asked Harm since he liked to cook, because he wanted to find one that would sear meat at the right temperature, but not burn it, sometimes the metal would get too hot and scorch the meat so the right frying pan that would heat the meat to the point where it would get properly cooked was necessary. Harm was a culinary genius when it came to cooking for himself, so Animal figured that he was the right person to ask about that sort of thing. "Got the frying pan from a professional cooking store…" the metallurgy that went into this sort of thing to get the _perfect frying pan_ for cooking was absolute mystification. However Harm having cooked for himself for years and at what could be considered at a highly skilled level with the exception of his meatless meatloaf, was able to de-mystify the frying pan purchasing process for his friend. Animal was grateful for that as he now had a frying-pan that would work for the cooking that he planned to do. He actually now had several. The skillet that he was now using was a Le Creuset Signature Cast-Iron Deep Skillet with Splatter Screen that set him back almost three hundred dollars; it also made making an amount of dinner that would last three days and microwaveable a lot easier though he'd nearly balked at the price before hand. Harm though had grumbled about Animal cooking ground beef and whatever he was doing to his cholesterol levels before hand. "Y'know…Harm helped me get this frying pan…" he ventured as Maegyn sniffed the air again with a satisfied expression.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, Harm's a food connoisseur and he's a pretty capable cook, plus he uses some pretty expensive cooking gear." Animal said. "The last skillet I got from Lowes went into the garbage can because it kept scorching the meat that I used. I like to sear my steaks, I don't like it burned and crispy…" he grinned at Maegyn who laughed. "…so we went to Williams Sonoma and bought this thing. Nearly choked on the price though…damned near cost three hundred. That would have bought groceries for two weeks. I cook portions that last three days and allows me to budget carefully. I may make a Captain's salary, but if you're not careful, it doesn't last…" he said, noting silently that he'd have to make a call to his investment banker to put another payment on the 401K.

"Yeah…I know…I don't spend much, but it seems that we have to budget carefully." Maegyn said. "I budget a little spending money for deployment, but it seems that most of it gets shoved into the 401K. Have to save…" she opined as she looked around at the apartment that Animal had. It was comfy, a two-bedroom that they shared when she was back from deployment, because every leave she spent it with him. And Maegyn was approaching the end of her flying career as well. A CO tour and then a CAG tour then she'd have to hang up her wings…and fly a desk. And what she would do then, she thought as she looked around Animal's home. Her mind wandered wondering what it would be like to have a family to come home to. She had spent much of her career focusing on the flying, taking the physical enjoyment of being close to Animal when she could but realizing that time was fleeting. It was fun being Irish, the devil-may-care naval aviator that could hop into an F-14 and fly the great blue yonder. It was fun being able to one-up the males who thought that just because she was a woman that she was somehow less capable than them. That Navy Cross shut up a lot of uninformed opinionated people and it was satisfying to see them swallow their tongue when they realized just how capable she really was.

But she realized that her flying career was drawing to a close and as always, she understood that she had made a choice to pursue an avenue of career that left her without a family. Animal was great for a romp in the hay, once in a while, but she realized that he was growing up…now that he had been grounded. He had a career outside of flying, a career that would push his rising star up the Navy ladder. He had the staff position, and was poised for Rear Admiral if he played his cards right and he just might find himself back in a line position at a fleet command. But Animal had realized, she thought, that his flying career was over, something that he loved to do was gone, and her heart sympathized with that.

Animal had been a devil-may-care naval aviator too and they shared their love of flying, of being able to fly the Navy's best aircraft, the F-14A Tomcat. His prowess as a naval aviator had made him the recipient of his nation's highest honor that could be given to a military officer, but Maegyn knew that he had been stripped of his wings, sure he could still wear them, but he knew deep down in his heart that he was not going to be able to touch his hands to stick and throttle again…a trade-off that cost him greatly and it hurt him deeply; she could see it in his eyes every time he looked at her still being able to fly. But she also knew that he didn't resent her for it though he made jokes about it. She knew that he was bitter about not being able to fly, but it wasn't directed at the aviators that flew still, he just was bitter about not being able to be on the front lines with the men and women he respected; that he had served with for so long and that was something that he was going to have to work through.

She looked him over, the set of his shoulders as he switched off the stove and hefted the still hot skillet off the stove, setting it on top of a cork counter protector big enough protect the counter from scorching. Taking two plates from the kitchen shelf, he put a plateful on one plate then the other. Maegyn turned to help by getting the cutlery from the drawer.

She silently contemplated him as they ate their meal. Could she perhaps see a future with him? Maybe not raise a family with kids per se but to be able to come home to a loving husband; to be able to spend her life with him as they lived out the rest of their lives? Could that even be a possibility? Did he even think of her like that? And where the hell did these proprietary feelings towards Animal come from? She wondered as she marveled at the change in her own perceptions towards someone she had long considered as just a casual lover.

_**Kennedy Center Terrace Restaurant, Washington DC, 1900hrs.**_

Harm grinned as he looked over at Liandra's shocked face. "Harm, this is too much…" she stammered futilely as Harm guided her to the restaurant. The restaurant had a reputation for fine-dining and the high society of Washington DC came here for the concerts, but this year, the concert-hall was renovating so the restaurant had decided that casual dining was the order of the day, while there were no concerts to be had. This was one of the reasons why Harm had picked this opportunity to dine here. It was an opportunity to sample some high-society cuisine and at the same time not be picked on for a casual suit and tie by high-society snobs. Liandra was wearing a casual dress, as Harm informed her that it was a place that needed something other than jeans and a t-shirt. Harm knew that Lia did wonderful things to her Navy uniform, but in a dress she was something else.

As they were walking in, an advertisement for next year with the Tallis Scholars Renaissance Chamber Music group caught Harm's eye. He noted that he'd let Animal know about that concert so that he could attend. And there was also a Veteran's Benefit Concert by the National Symphony Orchestra.

As they waited to be seated, Harm turned to Lia and said. "They're renovating…that's one of the reasons why I wanted to come eat here. It's a chance to enjoy the food without having to stomach the stares from high-society. Every-time that there's a concert here, high-society comes out to be seen and they look at you funny if you're not wearing a tux…or an evening dress in your case." He paused for a moment. And if it's a special concert involving the military, then I have to get on my dinner dress whites – then I get mistaken for the waiter."

Lia laughed. "Ah, so there's a reason behind the dinner invitation…" her eyes twinkled in merriment. "…and not just a chance to spend some time with me?" coquettishly batting her eyelashes at him.

"Well…I did want to spend some time with you…" Harm grinned. "Surely my teasing didn't go un-noticed." He gradually grew a little braver, the start of a friendship was a minefield in which he didn't know where her sore points were and they were testing out the waters. "Seriously though, I like spending time with you."

"I'm glad…" Lia switched to a serious tone seeing the change in Harm's face. "I think a table's free now. Here comes the waiter." They were led to their table with a view of the Lincoln Memorial from the window, and Lia gazed out looking at it. "You served with Captain Nakamura…" she said after a long moment and Harm wondered why she was bringing it up… "You see, I have to work with him…and I don't want to be in a situation where I don't know who I'm dealing with…" she said looking at him.

"Maybe not for long…" Harm said. "There's been several changes in the works…"

"I know…and I do blame him for that…" Lia started to say. Harm looked at her inquisitively trying to figure out where she was coming from.

"Why?"

"Harm, you know that Admiral Chegwidden was my mentor. He wants me to work towards the judiciary…and that's my career path…" Lia replied. "As soon as I get my other half-stripe, I'm going to be on the bench. I don't know if whoever replaces him will see that I have a career path that I want to follow…so your friend…" she spat out. Harm really knew that she was venting, but the vehemence when she said _your friend _was worrying "…just blew my career path goals up for me and I resent him for that."

"Lia…"

"Wait…let me finish…" she held up a hand stopping him short. "I want to give him a chance to show that he's not the asshole I think he is." Harm's eyes widened at that; Lia was stepping dangerously close to disrespecting a senior officer. "But it's mainly for the sake of my career rather than…" she left the _being able to work with him amicably_ silent, letting Harm infer her meaning which he did.

"You do know that just thinking it is one step from saying it…right?" Harm said in warning. "Don't let that slip…it could mean your career. And he's untouchable, after what he went through…in Korea."

Lia contemplated that for a long moment… "I know that he's been through hell, but that doesn't give him the right to go about destroying other people's careers, like he did the admiral's…"

"What makes you think that it was his call? He wrote the report, he submitted it to the CNO and SECNAV and the both of them made the decision. Or do you think that he should have just said _no _to the Chief of Naval Operations?" Harm's voice sounded incredulous though he looked at her sympathetically.

"Well, he could have made some objection…" Lia stammered, angry yet helpless in realizing that Harm had just articulated exactly what she had been thinking.

"Lia, I flew with the guy in Desert Storm with the Howlers. I know he has always been an outspoken officer. He wouldn't have quietly let this go, but the guy I know also values his career. He has probably made an objection and he probably let it know how he feels about the whole matter…but the decisions that were made are above Captain Nakamura's head and to openly question them and push the issue is career suicide." Harm said firmly. "He probably felt just as betrayed as Chegwidden did."

"Damn you, Harm…you're trying to make me like him…" Lia muttered caustically. "…why should I?"

"Because…he's always going to be around…" Harm said. "He's my flying buddy…and my flight leader and I can't forget that. He always made sure that I always got out of a tough scrape and there were times when I owed him my life. He's a damned good aviator; probably one of the best I've seen. But above all, he's been a friend for a long time and no matter what, I won't turn my back on him. I think that what he's had to do while with the Naval Inspector General has scarred him just as much as the report scarred the office." Lia looked like she was going to object to that but Harm raised his hand this time to stop her. "Look, Lia, I'm not trying to make you like him, but you have to understand that although he had to do some things that were distasteful to him in the NAVINSGEN report, he had to do as he was ordered to do, and it's probably hurt him as much as the report hurt us…"

_**Animal's Apartment, 503-4141 Henderson Road, Arlington, VA 1940hrs.**_

Animal made sure that the dishes were done and ready for their wash cycle with the dishwasher. A good solid purchase of a 1996 Kenmore dishwasher was the workhorse with the dishes, but a quick rinse of the dishes before putting the dishes in the dishwasher was a good procedure. Animal grinned to himself as he put the dishes in carefully and rolled the rack into the dishwasher and closed the door. The now rinsed dishes could sit there until such time as the dishwasher got full enough to do a load.

Maegyn sat on the couch relaxing reading the paper. He stopped at the end of the couch, thinking for a long moment how domestic that scene looked. Maegyn was a beautiful woman, her hair naturally red, her face was classic Irish with fair complexion and bright green eyes with a smile that made the room light up when she was happy. He contemplated how well Maegyn fit into his life, that it felt natural to have her sitting there in the living room and how he wished that this could be a constant. It felt great when she was here on leave and it felt almost like he had a family, a wife that he could come home to at the end of the day. Little did he know that Maegyn was thinking those same thoughts along the line of a husband.

"Hey…" Maegyn called when she noticed that he was just standing there looking for the entire world like he was thinking deep thoughts. "Come here…"

"OK…" he smiled at her as he walked around the end of the couch and came over to sit down beside her. She leaned into his embrace.

"Are you pondering what I'm pondering?" Maegyn said giving Animal an evil opportunity to pull off one of his famous pranks.

"I think so, sweetheart, but can the Gummi Worms really live in peace with the Marshmallow Chicks…" he said deadpan. The confusion on Maegyn's face caused Animal to burst out laughing.

"Jerk…" she said as she started laughing too. "I was trying to be serious…"

"Sorry, sweet…what did you want to ask me?" He relented as he wrapped his arms around Maegyn.

"Ever think of how domestic this really seems to be…?" Maegyn gestured looking around the room. "Us…this apartment, cooking…I love it when I'm on leave…" she said looking at him with longing. "It just seems like home…to me…"

Animal looked at her wondering if he wasn't reading enough into her words and hoping that he could tell her just how much he enjoyed spending time with her; that he wished that they could make it a permanent arrangement. "I'm glad that it seems like home to you. I want it to be a welcoming place…someplace where you can put up your feet and relax from the Navy."

"What I'm trying to say…is that…" Maegyn looked at him. "It's been on my mind…that I won't always be flying and that I'll need someplace to land and put my feet up. I need to think about my career post-flying…and what I want…is for that to be with someone who knows me…and really shares that history with me…"

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Animal met her eyes. "Is that what you want?"

"I know that I have an CO tour and a CAG tour probably then I'm at the end of my flying career." She said softly. "Then…with the choices that I've made in my career, it's going to be a lonely road if I don't make the right decisions…" Maegyn looked at Animal to gauge the reaction on his face. "I want to be able to come home to what I consider a home…with someone who I love and respect, someone that I know cherishes me for who I am." She reached out and caressed his arm. "Someone who knows what my passions are and shares my love for flying."

"You know, I've been thinking along the same lines…" Animal replied. "I've thought about being alone in my later years and that thought, believe me, isn't too appealing."

"The reason why I'm saying this is…" she paused for a long moment. For all the training that she'd had in naval aviation and being a naval aviator had taught her how to go after the target, this emotional thing was something she didn't have to deal with in her every day life. Sure, being in a relationship was a fun thing. Having a casual lover to romp in the hay with was also fun but baring one's soul and fears was something else. To go from casual lovers to in a serious relationship was something that she hadn't planned to do until the introspection had led her down that path. But could they make it work? "What would you say…if I told you that…" she paused for such a long moment that Animal thought she had lost her train of thought.

"…if you told me what…" he prompted her.

"…if we could make a go of this…" she gestured around the room as if to take in the whole apartment.

"You mean…" his eyes grew wider as he digested the meaning of her words.

"…together…"

_**The Terrace, Kennedy Center Terrace Restaurant, Washington DC, 1950hrs;**_

Harm looked at Lia as she contemplated the Lincoln Memorial from the distance as they walked the terrace after dinner. "You know…a man once said…_nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power_." Lia looked at him curiously.

"So who was that man?" Lia asked. Harm silently pointed towards the Memorial. "Abraham Lincoln?" and Harm nodded.

"Understand, that Captain Nakamura wasn't given power to wield against JAG, he was ordered to assess the reason why the JAG office was stagnated, he assessed the situation dispassionately and gave him the report, and the ones who actually had the power utilized it to effect changes." Harm explained as he gazed upon the Lincoln Memorial. "And Lincoln was right. The ones who have the power usually fall short. But make no mistake, Captain Nakamura didn't have power at all…he just did as he had to under orders from the SECNAV." He shivered for a moment as a brief wind assailed them from the Hudson River. "C'mon, it's getting chilly. Let's go…"

* * *

_**Author's Note: **__I hate my plot bunnies. Now I got Animal/Maegyn paired off…instead of Animal/Lia. This is going to be more of a headache than I thought… But at least they gave up on waking me up at 4AM in the morning to write. _


	10. Emergency Character Meeting

_**Emergency Character Meeting; Story Interlude…**_

The author stomped into the room; the characters could visibly see that he was irate; quite probably because he was gnashing his teeth restraining himself from flying into a commendable fury. His eyes ablaze, he rounded on Animal and Lia in a rage that transcended pure wrath. His eyes goggled insanely looking very much like a lop-sided bobble head as he gibbered. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU CHARACTERS ARE DOING?! THIS IS MY STORY…THIS IS WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO! YOU GUYS ARE NOT FOLLOWING ANY DIRECTIONS…**WHATSOEVER**!" The last was screamed at a volume that made the walls shake.

Lia raised her eyebrows in feigned interest. "Yeah, whatever." She looked over at Animal…looked back at the author, pointing a finger at Animal… "He still sucks! And my answer is still _**NO!**_"

"What; you're going to pair me with a shrew?" Animal asked with no small amount of annoyance. Getting up out of his chair, he stomped into the center of the room and growled. "I'm not going to be saddled with a shrew that is going to complain her head off for the remainder of the story about how victimized she is about being paired with me…as if I was so much of a bad person to be with…"

Lia raised a right hand; index finger raised. "Of course you had to play whiny ex-aviator…and take it out on the entire JAG office, you officious piece of work."

"That's not my fault…" Animal complained. "You didn't have to be so hostile at the start."

"You started it…"

"I did not! No YOU were the one who started it…"

"I DID NOT!"

"DID TOO…"

"DID NOT!"

"**QUIET!**" The author roared, veins sticking out in his head. If the two stubborn characters didn't stop it soon, he'd probably blow a vein or something.

"Maybe we should just stick'em in a room and let 'em go at each other…" Harm snickered watching the interplay between Lia and Animal. "They'll either kill each other or they'll screw themselves into exhaustion."

Meg sat in her chair quietly stewing. "Well…that's all fine well and good…" she huffed angrily at him. "You were such an asshole to me in that office, I doubt I'm going to talk to you again. Stuffed-headed egotistical aviator."

"Yeah, well…you disappeared for ages…left me to rot wondering where you were…" Harm said irritably. "You think I wouldn't have been heart-broken?"

"Yeah, well, blame the Season 1 writers…" Meg snapped back. "They were the ones who put me in that situation…and the Season 2 writers who shipped me off to Timbuktu. I come back, thanks to this author and I have to put up with a sulky, whiny ex-aviator…"

"…and take it out on you…" Harm finished. "Well, I'm sorry if I've been an ass, but this last year hasn't been a great one…" he turned on that megawatt grin of his.

"…and that's your excuse?" Meg grumbled. Damn that aviator. Never could resist that smile.

Maegyn looked over at Mac. "So, what's it like being the other woman in this story?"

Mac turned apoplectic at that. "What do you mean… _**OTHER WOMAN**_?!"

The author threw up his hands…in one corner he could see Animal and Lia arguing like two wildcats, Harm and Meg in a clinch that threatened to turn x-rated and Maegyn and Mac glaring daggers with each other. This meeting wasn't going to work. He grumbled more to himself than could be audible to the rest of the characters in the room. "I swear to God, I'm going to get Jack Keeter in here…That'll straighten this mess out!" and stomped out of the room.


	11. Chapter 10

_**(AN: **_And now…back to your scheduled programming)

_**Animal's Apartment, 503-4141 Henderson Road, Arlington, VA**_

Animal looked shell-shocked. "Together?" He looked at Maegyn who was gazing at him, gauging his reaction to her statement. And before she could think that he was against the idea, she felt herself pulled towards him in an embrace. "I'd like that…a lot…" he whispered, his lips against hers.

Maegyn whispered back. "So…you'd…consider…it?" she said between kisses, their arms around each other, their hands tangled in each other's hair. How many years had it been since they had met each other. First as she was a Lieutenant JG in the Black Aces just fresh from Fleet RAG when he was a full double-bar lieutenant, then her turn as double-bar and he as a freshly minted hinge gold oak leaf. He then went on to become a silver oak-leaf'd commander while she had her turn with the gold oak leaf, then the Pentagon had gotten smart and yanked his flight status and put four gold rings on his jacket. They had come through a lot. Maybe this was the next logical step and he would put a gold ring on her finger. Maegyn allowed herself to revel in that thought for a brief moment, before she felt herself being pulled to her feet.

Animal remembered how they had managed to rendezvous again the second time, this time their relationship became much more intense than the by-the-regs relationship they had when she was a Lieutenant JG. It was just after he had come back from the Howlers.

**/**_**Flashback: Navy/Marine Corps Ball, Washington DC: **_

_"Commander Toshio Nakamura, I presume." Animal turned around at the sound of the voice. "You're a long way away from East Coast RAG, sir." Animal had just been promoted about two months prior to the Navy/Marine Corps Ball and he was in his Dinner Dress Whites with the requisite three-striper boards adorning his shoulders. Turning around he saw an exquisite vision in a green evening gown that set off her red hair._

_"Lieutenant Commander O'Bannon, nice to see you." Animal had responded after a long moment. "You transferred out about six months after I arrived. I believe you were posted to VF-126 on the West Coast. So what brings you back to Washington DC?"_

_"I'm serving under COMAIRNAVSYSCOM as a staffer." LCDR O'Bannon replied, "The Ball Invitation came up so I decided to go, I'm by myself, by the way. Never really found anyone that I wanted to go with to the ball."_

_Animal smiled at her, "So, how's your dance card looking?" He looked at her, surely someone as gorgeous as her wouldn't have a single empty spot left on her dance card._

_"Absolutely empty…" She extended a hand out to him. "Care to fill in a few spots?" She asked tilting her head alluringly, her green eyes gazing at him for a response._

_"I'd be happy to." Animal responded by taking her hand. Her hand was warm and inviting as he caressed her hand with his. Her response to his caress was an attractive smile that sent a warm feeling from his head to his toes. He had finally bucked up the courage to ask her out on a date about a week and a half after the ball. In actual fact, the trepidation leading up to the event was unfounded as she enthusiastically said "yes" by flinging herself into his arms and wrapping him in an embrace as she admitted that she had hoped that he would ask her out. And they had been inseparable. Spending as many weekends as they could together after their weekday jobs (Maegyn's at Pax River and Animal's at NAS Oceana) They racked up a lot of driving hours on their vehicles alternating who drove on every other weekend. It was a 4 hour drive one way. So to make the most of the weekend, Animal would fly out the door the second 1700 hrs rounded the clock aiming to get on the I-64 as soon as possible so he could make the I-295 interchange by 1745 hrs._/

"I do consider it and have considered it…enough times in my head that I don't need to think about it any longer…" Animal said as he watched her reaction. "I do want to do this together…"

Maegyn's thoughts whirled as she realized what he said. There was no need for any more words as they embraced, lost in their own little world for a long while. When they separated more for the need of oxygen than anything else, Maegyn whispered softly as she looked at Animal. "Wow…" she breathed.

"Yeah, um…wow…" Animal agreed, equally speechless as his eyes fixed on her every feature, taking in the silken strands of her auburn hair, the jade green of her eyes…and affixing them in his memory. For all too soon she'd be gone to Lemoore working up with her squadron – his former squadron.

"Is it too soon to say…_I love you_." Whispered Maegyn as she reached up to caress his cheek.

Animal's eyes glimmered in amusement. "I think we've gone past the _too soon_ part a long time ago…" he left the implication silent. "Two words, Dominican Republic?" he hinted as Maegyn burst out in laughter.

_**/Flashback: Dominican Republic 1995**_

_Animal looked at Maegyn laying on her stomach the beach towel spread out on the white sands. She was clad in a white bikini and she looked up at him with a languorous expression and asked with a husky tone in her voice. "Any chance I could convince you to put some suntan lotion on my back?" That was an invitation that no red-blooded male could resist. Maegyn was fair-skinned and in the intense sun that was this tropical island where they were dropped off by a small 6HP Mercury engined boat, she would be prone to burning. He grabbed the suntan lotion and put a generous dollop on the palms of his hand rubbing them so that it wouldn't slop. Maegyn sat up to untie her bikini top, letting her assets fall free of restraint. Animal's reaction elicited a knowing grin from Maegyn as she looked down at his swim trunks. _

_She turned around and stretched out lying on her front again. Animal groaned softly as he ran his hands along her back, wondering just how he was going to get rid of the tent in his trunks. Straddling her butt, he used the back of his hand to move her hair out of the way and rubbed the back of her neck._

_"Oh…that feels good." Maegyn purred softly feeling his welcome weight on top of her as well as his massaging hands. "Mmmmm, I could have you do this all day."_

_"Uh huh…" Animal grunted. He was going to have to take a dip in the water after this. Bloody hell, he was starting to get sore and not his hands. This was downright cruel. "Would you like the other bikini line taken care of too?" He asked…if she said 'yes', it was going to be absolute torture._

_Maegyn looked up at him with a sadistically delighted expression on her face. "Oh…would you?" She knew damned well what she was doing. And this was a deserted beach too; no tourists in sight. The only way to get back was with that boat that wouldn't be back for six hours. And this beach was long enough to escape high-tide. The minx knew what she was doing to Animal and she wanted to make him sweat. _

_Animal groaned softly eliciting a delighted deep-throated chuckle from Maegyn. As he untied her bikini bottom, she suddenly turned around, stood up…pulling him to his feet. Her bikini bottom fluttered to the sand leaving her completely and utterly exposed. She sank to her knees pulling Animal's trunks down freeing him, letting him stand before her naked; then pulled him down on top of her, sighing as he poised himself at her entrance as she wrapped her legs around him and guided him in. "oh, yes…" she moaned softly. "please?"_ /

Maegyn laughed, the sound bright and cheerful. "I guess we have…" she said softly. "Care to make it another round?"

"Oh, I love you, woman." Animal growled, the sound deep in his throat, as they both retreated to the bedroom.

_**Liandra's Apartment, 614-2475 Virginia Avenue, Georgetown, Washington DC,**_ 2221hrs

Harm walked Lia up to her apartment suite door. Lia turned to Harm. "Thanks for the dinner…and the walk this evening." West End was known for its burglaries and thefts, but it wasn't as bad as some of the areas in DC where there were shootings every day. Thank goodness she researched the neighborhood and found a place in Georgetown where she could feel somewhat safe, though this part of the neighborhood was more prone to property crimes than other places in Georgetown. It was still better than nothing.

"Well, I had to make sure that you got home safely." Harm grinned widely. "Can't let a pretty lady walk home by herself in a neighborhood like this." He had parked here in Lia's spare parking space downstairs and he had to head home by car.

"Well, this lady appreciates your gesture." Lia smiled up at him. At five foot five, she was small compared to him, standing in her heels, she could see up to his clavicle at eye-height.

"Would you be open to another date?" Harm asked.

"Would you classify this as a date?" Lia answered the question with one of her own.

"I'd like to think so…" Harm replied. Neither of them spoke for a long moment as they looked into each other's eyes.

"Harm…" She ventured tentatively…

"Lia…" then Harm leaned in to give her a tentative kiss…which was returned.

Without thinking, Lia's arms had of their own accord gone around Harm's neck. When they separated, Lia looked flushed and stammered. "I…I…Harm…you'd better go…" and practically fled into her apartment. Unbeknownst to Harm behind the door Lia collapsed moaning, her eyes flooding with tears… "What am I doing? What have I done?" She had been resolute in her career path, but her heart had other ideas. But every time her heart wanted to open up her mind ran back to the years that she'd been victimized; a target of bullies as a teenager - the hurt welling back up from places where she had locked it away. Deep inside was a girl that was picked on, told that she was an ugly four-eyes, because she had to wear large glasses. Back then glass-technology was not very advanced, the lenses were thick and unfashionable and she hated every second that she'd had to wear those glasses.

When faced with a stressful situation like _dating_ like tonight her first inclination was to run because the little gremlin of self-doubt materialized and told her that she wasn't worth dating, that she was flawed and nobody would consider her relationship material. And the fact that Harm was such a prized catch to any girl that had the eyes to realize it, Lia thought that it was unfair. The little gremlin voiced an opinion that Harm was just toying with her emotions and the kiss had meant nothing.

A knock on the door. "Lia…are you alright?" Harm's voice sounded concerned. When she didn't answer immediately, he said. "Please…Lia…open the door…what did I do?"

Lia got up slowly from the floor and opened the door, her tear-stained face turned up to him. "Why are you still here?" she asked, her tone a bit frosty.

"Lia…let me in. I need to talk to you." Harm insisted. Uttering a sigh of resignation, Lia stepped aside to let Harm in the door. Harm stepped in three paces and shut the door. "Lia…what's wrong. I just…well…we kissed and then you bolted like a frightened hare."

"It's just…I don't want to have my emotions toyed with…" Lia stated, stamping her right foot on the ground.

"Why do you say that? I thought that I was kissing you honestly." Harm asked – he looked stricken, his tone confused. "I'm not one to play with another's emotions." He stated firmly. "If I express interest in you, if I tell you that I care for you, I'm saying so honestly, not because I'm sure that's what you want to hear. I don't do snow-jobs." He said vehemently.

"Well, Harm, I'm sorry. I'm broken…I'm not good enough for you." She said.

"And who told you that pile of shit? Was it Animal…cause if he was the one…" Harm growled low and ominously.

"No…it's from a long time ago…back when I was a kid." Lia said as she sat down on her couch like a puppet that had its strings cut. Tears spilled out of her eyes. "I had a condition called hyperopia."

_Hyperopia_; the optician had said and fixed her up with a pair of granny glasses that looked like they were right from the 40s complete with quarter- inch thick lenses. Constantly stalked by the bullies in her class, who took sadistic pleasure in taking away her glasses, and watching her blindly walk around, hands out bumping into walls, because of her blurred vision; she was called everything from geek to four-eyes and it scarred her emotionally. Finding out from her doctor as she grew into an adult, that mild hyperopia, which she had, could be corrected by radial keratotomy surgery by an excellent ophthalmologist, she opted to do that, notifying her mother that she no longer wanted to wear glasses and that the surgery would help to correct her vision problems. The pain from the surgery was bearable compared to the pain from the verbal abuse heaped upon her by her classmates. And with professional follow-up, a favorable result was achieved in that she had no need of her glasses any longer. But the hurt that came from the abuse that she had sustained throughout school lingered, leaving her with a diminished sense of self which she countered by being prickly to a certain extent to people that she didn't really know. As far as relationships were concerned she preferred a good book to dating, however, her mother was persistent in telling her that she was getting older and should look at settling down. That was another reason why she didn't go home very often.

"The kids in my school made my life a living hell…" she wept as Harm stepped forward to the couch to sit down beside her. "They seemed to enjoy yanking my glasses off my face, watch me wander around blindly trying to recover my glasses. They played _keep away_ with the glasses, they pushed me on the ground and ran away with my glasses. Hell they even broke my glasses several times costing my parents a thousand dollars in total glass replacements. I can still recall to this day them calling me ugly four-eyes and taunting me when I tried to get my glasses back."

Harm's anger at those selfish, brutal kids rose and he growled, "Those kids didn't have eyes in their heads, because all I see is a beautiful woman who is one of the most accomplished JAG attorneys I have ever seen."

"So you see…" Lia said, her eyes still wet with tears. "You deserve to be with someone who is worth something…not with someone who is emotionally broken."

"No…I deserve to be with you…" Harm replied firmly… All the times that she had turned him down flat were not because of she didn't want to go out with him, it was because she saw herself as not being worthy of his attention…"You are worth it…" he swore to himself that he would make Lia see what he saw in her even if it took him the rest of his life to do so.

"Really, you should go, we have work tomorrow…" Lia tried to insist that he go so that he could at least get some sleep for work.

"Look, Lia, I have a seabag in my car; let me go get it and I'll stay here tonight. I really don't think you should be alone." He said, unsaid was _you retreat into yourself, Lia, and you won't have the bravery to come back out again like you did tonight._

"Harm, you don't have to…I'll be fine…"

"Please? Just to reassure me that you're OK?" Harm gave her his sad puppy look.

"Damn you, Harm…when you do that…" Lia sputtered. "All right…here's my key…top one is the one to the downstairs parkade coming back in…and then each one in order after that…on the route back in." she said handing him the keys to her apartment suite. "If I give you my keys, then I won't be able to lock your persistent ass out." She muttered acerbically, even though deep down she was overjoyed that he would care enough to stay over to see that she was OK emotionally.

Harm flashed her that flyboy grin of his, clasped his hand around the proffered keys accepting them and headed out to go get his seabag from his car. Lia sat just staring out the window at the dark, her thoughts swirling with unspent emotion. When Harm got back upstairs, toting a seabag with his spare service blues uniform in it, Lia looked up at him and said. "Are you sure? I only have one bedroom and I'm using the spare as an home/office. I rarely get visitors and…" Harm looked at her intently. "…I'm starting to babble aren't I?" Lia muttered.

"Lia…" Harm stated as he dropped his seabag on the floor and embraced her. "You're a wonderful person, don't let anyone tell you different. Now, I'll just curl up on the couch, if you have a spare pillow and blanket and you do what you have to do to get ready for tomorrow." He leaned in and gave her a brief kiss which made Lia's legs nearly crumple.

_**JAG HQ, Falls Church, VA**_.

"Good job, Lieutenant Commander Rabb." RDML Morris stated as he looked over at the proffered file. "I see you have a resolution with the Emmond's case. Good thinking on your part for taking the file over to the Pentagon and having a sit-down with Lieutenant Commander Gracen."

"Well, sir, it was all her doing, she was open to a plea-bargain and she managed to negotiate a suitable settlement, sir." Harm replied, giving credit where credit was due.

"…and I am to note that Lieutenant Commander Gracen is to be returning to JAG from her TDY and you are taking over the position PCS this Monday?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well, good luck, Lieutenant Commander Rabb. I hate to lose you as an attorney but you need a staff position to bolster your promotion chances. You have two years till you are in the zone for promotion and probably a chance to get promoted by your fourth year in grade." RDML Morris paused for a long moment. "…with the exception of the one instance where you discharged an MP-5K PDW in my courtroom; you have been an exemplary officer." Harm groaned silently, he knew he was never going to live that down at all. That had not been one of his finer moments. RDML Stiles Morris extended his hand to shake Harm's and he nodded at the younger man. "I'll send your personnel file to Captain Nakamura. RADM Chegwidden's copy of your FITREP is in there."

"Thank you sir." Harm said. "It was a pleasure to serve with you."

"Likewise, Lieutenant Commander." RDML Morris dismissed Harm and returned to his files.

As he exited the office, he nearly bumped into LCDR Meg Austin who gave him a rather frosty glance, "Meg…I need to talk with you." Harm said earnestly. "I need to apologize for my behavior yesterday."

"Well, I hope you can make it quick…because I'm going to be in court from 1300 hrs to 1500 hrs or thereabouts." Meg shot back. "…and right now you're not on my _favorite people_ list at the moment."

"Can I talk to you now?" Harm asked. "In my office?" he pleaded. Meg acquiesced, although a bit grumpy with Harm. Shutting the door he offered Meg a seat.

"I prefer to stand…" Meg said shortly.

"I'm sorry for being an asshole, it just came out…I don't know where it came from, Meg and I'm truly sorry that I hurt you." Harm whispered in a low voice. The glass in the windows carried sound across muffled, but it still carried. "It just struck me hard when I realized that you had left and didn't leave a single word for me as to where you went. I don't want to leave to NAVINSGEN on bad terms with you. I've worried and cared about you for too long to leave us where it is right now. Will you accept my apology?"

"Harm, you said some pretty hateful things yesterday, but I guess your apologizing takes care of some of that hurt. The rest will just take time." Meg said, a little less unfriendly, but still sounding hurt. "I'm not going to say that this will gloss everything over, but your apologizing makes you less of an asshole."

"I know…Meg…and I'm truly sorry I hurt you." Harm breathed a heavy sigh.

"So what brought out all that bitterness?" Meg asked.

"Being treated like an emotional yoyo." He flicked his thumb over at the next door office.

"Oh…" said Meg shortly, she hadn't really liked the Marine Major very much when she first came back to the office. Of all the people in the office, the Major hadn't greeted her when she first greeted the rest of the attorneys at the staff-call and it struck her that Maj. Sarah Mackenzie was a bit cold. Not to mention that she hovered around Harm like a satellite armed with nuclear weapons ready to aim at anyone who approached Harm to closely. She could sense Mac's curiosity and anger on her as Meg stood inside the door of Harm's office. Meg ignored her. "Do you know who's coming in to replace you?"

"Well, she's a friend. A Lieutenant Commander Liandra Gracen: she was with JAG before two weeks ago, but last week she got temporarily TDY'd to NAVINSGEN to be a liaison staff JAG. Of course, now I'm taking over and that has become a permanent PCS and I'm going to be a permanent staff JAG with the Naval Inspector General's office.

"Ah…cavorting with the dark side, huh?" Meg snickered.

"My former flight leader, now a Captain, Toshio Nakamura, is there. He's the Pentagon NAVINSGEN detachment office CO. You remember him. We did the report that got him the blue button."

"Oh, yeah, I remember now." Meg replied as she searched her memories for a face to match along with the name. "Oh…the handsome Japanese-American naval aviator…the one I said filled out his peanut butters really well…" she grinned evilly watching Harm's expression carefully. Harm was just taking a sip of his coffee and just about spat it out. Point one for Austin, Meg thought. Payback was a bitch and he'd be paying back quite often…or at least whenever she had need to go to the Pentagon.

* * *

_**Author's Note:**_ The author thanks byrhthelm for the incredible help that he's been in helping this author of a potential writer's block situation. The last _Emergency Character Meeting_ was an idea he came up with and I ran with it… Thanks again, byrhthelm.

Tomorrow is a tournament hockey game for my son, so I won't be getting any Chapter 11 (counts as 12) done. Maybe if my plot-bunny cooperates there will be another chapter on Monday or Tuesday.


	12. Chapter 11

_**JAG HQ, Falls Church, VA, 1345 hrs**_

"Hey, I thought you'd be here…" remarked a voice from the door of Harm's office, about forty-five minutes after Harm had returned from lunch.

Harm grumbled irritably, not looking up from his file, "I know that voice anywhere…"

"Hammer!" Lieutenant Commander Jack Keeter exclaimed.

"Keeter!" The two exchanged bear hugs culminating in back-slaps that rattled each other's bones.

"Harm…I've got a case file…that we need to go over…it's for your out-processing from JAG and transfer to your new PCS on Friday, all the legal particulars" interrupted Meg as she walked into the office. "Oh…excuse me…" she said as she looked over at the red-headed lieutenant commander that was standing in front of Harm's desk.

"Hey, Keeter." Harm spoke up. "You remember Meg Austin, don't you? You two met in Cuba?"

"Of course, I do remember that pretty lady." Keeter grinned, showing a mouth full of white teeth to great effect.

Meg looked back at Keeter. "Yes, I remember Lieutenant Commander Jack Keeter." She remarked wryly, knowing just how much of a playboy that Jack was, and she was about as interested in him as she would be interested in a cow-patty from a heifer.

"Well…" Harm continued, his voice smug. "Jack, you now realize that Meg is now a two and a half striper just like us. Evidently she was deep-selected as a lieutenant commander very recently as a matter of fact."

"So…what brings you here to DC?" Meg asked, curious as to why the secretive Jack Keeter would make his presence known at JAG Headquarters of all places.

"Well, the Cougars, which I'm in, thank you very much, just pulled in from deployment and the Patrick Henry is in for its SLEP at Norfolk. So that's why I'm here."

"Just rattling the cages of us staff pukes?" Harm asked innocently.

"No, just thought we might catch a few drinks at the local bar this afternoon after secure, of course, after you go home and get rid of that monkey suit and change into something more bar-appropriate…" Keeter jabbed.

"Hoo hooo hoo…" Harm sarcastically hooted, one arm under his arm-pit, crossing his eyes, his left hand reaching for a non-existent branch. Meg rolled her eyes.

"Do we have to make arrangements for accommodation at the DC Zoo Park, Commander Rabb?" a rather amused voice from the doorway startled the three officers into locking up into positions of attention.

"SIR!"

"As much as it is amusing to see you imitate Mr. Bananas – the National Zoo chimp, I'd prefer that you stick to being an officer of the United States Navy. And if you start imitating the howler monkeys I'll get the quack to give you a mental exam. Clear, Mr. Rabb?" RDML Morris stated, fixing Harm with a saturnine stare.

"Yes, sir, AYE, SIR"

Satisfied, Stiles turned on his heel and headed back to his office with a perfunctory, "Well, I'm sure that Captain Nakamura will certainly be grateful to hear that he is receiving a chimpanzee for a staff-officer" leaving Harm looking a nice shade of pink embarrassment; Meg was trying desperately to swallow her laughter. Harm rolled his eyes – this week was going to be a hell of a long week.

"Well, Keeter, I figure I'd better tell you where I'll be after this Friday." Harm said after receiving a quizzical look from his friend.

"Yeah, that might help."

"I'm going to be with the Naval Inspector General's office, PCS as of Monday." Harm stated. "It's my staff tour…and allows me to get some experience in a staff-advisor position before my O-5 zone year."

"Well, that sounds good, doesn't it, buddy." Keeter replied, as he looked out through Harm's corner window. "I'm still trying to keep myself feet-wet, but unfortunately a staff tour looks like it's in the cards for me too, just trying to figure out where though."

Meg excused herself from the office, as she left the file for Harm to look over and sign, with a perfunctory, "Good to see you, Commander." As she left, Jack looked around to see her walking away from the office with an appreciative raise of his eyebrows.

"Man, she must be nice to work with." Jack grinned.

"I'm not looking." Harm replied.

"What? Did you suddenly go blind?" Jack was shocked; Harm had always been the lucky one with women always at his feet.

Harm looked more than annoyed. "It just so happens that I have someone whom I'm extremely interested in."

"Not her…" Jack narrowed his eyes as he lifted a thumb and gestured towards Mac's office.

Harm shook his head emphatically. "Someone else…she's a JAG attorney TDY to NAVINSGEN, but she and I are switching places, except that my transfer is a permanent change of station."

"oh…" Jack looked skeptical. "It's just I've never seen you not be interested in Meg before; considering how protective you were of her in Cuba."

"That was because you were wandering around like a horn-dog." Jack looked insulted as Harm jabbed back at him with a verbal barb. "So, when are you meeting with your detailer about a possible staff posting?"

"I don't know, but it's going to have to be soon." Jack said as his expression turned pensive. "I have to make a serious decision in whether I stay with the Navy or if I look for other options. I do want my O-5, but I can't see myself being a lifer, you know what I mean?"

Harm nodded silently. Lately the situation with the Navy seemed more and more like a noose around his own neck. He hated having to jump through various hoops to get promotion credit to even be considered for higher rank, the ass-kissing that one had to do for ineffective COs and the political infighting was getting to him. But the pay was good at least. He wasn't rich by any means, but he was comfortable, but was that enough to warrant staying in till his twenty? Sometime during the course of his career he'd felt like getting the time in so that he could get his pension was more of a pain-in-the-ass than it was worth. But he felt like he could do something as a legal officer and that's what motivated him to stay in.

_**Animal's Office, Office of the NAVINSGEN, Pentagon Detachment 1645hrs**_

Knocking at the door, LCDR Liandra Gracen waited for an answer before she entered. Walking to the front of her CO's desk, she squared off two steps from the front and braced to attention.

"Yes, I hear that your TDY will be ending here…" Animal stated, "You have been recalled back to JAG." He said formally. "In any case, your replacement will be Lieutenant Commander Harmon Rabb Jr. who will be PCS to the staff of the Office of the Naval Inspector General here…any questions?"

"Permanent Change of Station? Sir?" Lia asked, her mind reeling in surprise.

"Yes, the Vice Admiral in charge of NAVINSGEN has made the case for the Inspector General Legal Officer position a permanent one, a staff JAG position so to speak."

For all the animosity that Lia had felt towards Animal, she felt a little insulted that considering that she was TDY'd to NAVINSGEN that she wouldn't be getting the PCS orders. But at least, a part of her thought, she'd be going back to JAG where she wouldn't have to deal with Captain Nakamura any longer and the TDY wouldn't put a crimp in her plans for her career. "Understood, sir." She said briefly.

Animal nodded and said. "Dismissed. Please notify LCDR Manetti what you have managed to accomplish so that she will be able to notify LCDR Rabb when he takes over on Monday."

"Yes, sir."

"Dismissed." Was the perfunctory reply.

Lia was met by Lieutenant Commander Manetti in her office. "I see you're lost in the shuffle." Tracy said with a sympathetic smile.

"I'm going back to JAG…" Lia said.

"So, who's replacing you?" Tracy asked, curious as to why there was such a quick change-around.

"The Inspector General made the Staff Liaison a permanent Staff JAG position – they opted to put Lieutenant Commander Rabb in place, permanent change of station." At that, Tracy's eyes widened a slight bit in amazement.

"Oh, is that so?"

"Evidently, it is…" Lia couldn't restrain a bit of anger at the perfunctory way that she'd been treated. _Dismissed_ was all he said, she thought. _No thank you for your service for the short time that you were here_. _I smooth the pavement and Harm gets to slide in here._ She didn't know whether to be angry at Captain Nakamura for being perfunctory and rude or at Harm for sliding into a juicy little position here. She started gathering her things to secure for the day, when she heard another voice in the reception area – one that was beginning to annoy her for reasons unknown, but she restrained herself admirably as she gathered her briefcase and cover and headed out the door. "Good night, Commander O'Bannon…" she said, as she looked over at the commander who was, as usual, in service blues with those damned aviator's wings. "'Night, Yeoman."

"Good night, Lieutenant Commander." Commander Maegyn O'Bannon replied as YN1 Carran bade LCDR Gracen a farewell. After a long moment while Maegyn said. "Well, Yeoman 1, was it just my impression or did the temperature take a dip there…"

"I can't venture to say, ma'am." YN1 Carran hesitated. Maegyn nodded, she knew that she didn't want to coax YN1 Carran into saying something that could come back to bite her.

_**McMurphy's Tavern: 1930hrs**_

Harm and Keeter grinned as they pulled back on their beers, dressed in jeans, Harm in a white t-shirt and his G-1 leather jacket, Keeter in one of his numerous and disgusting Hawaiian shirts that he always seemed to pick up at what Harm assumed was good-will. "Seems like old times, eh?"

"So, you call your new CO?" Keeter asked. "Was he going to come down and have a drink with us? I still remember him from Reserve Air Group days, used to give me nightmares…he was a hard-ass, didn't make it easy on us coneheads." he muttered as he lifted back his drink.

"Well…turkey! Maybe you should have studied more…" came a stentorian growl from right behind him, while Harm bit back laughter. Jack nearly fell off his chair as he whirled around to see Animal standing right behind him grinning evilly and then scanned his eyes to fix upon a vision, which was standing beside Animal, with red hair and green eyes laughing uproariously; she was dressed in a leather jacket with white top, coupled with a leather miniskirt.

"Irish? Is that you?" Keeter asked, his eyes bugging out.

"Keeter, you horny dog…how are you?" Maegyn grinned at him.

"Not too bad at all, Irish. So what are you doing hanging around with this reprobate?" he grinned at Animal who glared at him.

"Well…he's my reprobate…" she teased, as she slid her arm through the crook of Animal's arm. "…and I think I'll keep him…" Maegyn said as she turned a fond gaze at Animal who smiled smugly.

"Damn…" said Keeter as he drowned his sorrows in his beer. "All the good ones are gone…"

"Oh, there's always good ones around…" Animal said. "You just keep scaring them off."

Animal asked. "So, Maegyn, what do you want to drink?"

"I'll have an Irish Coffee…" she grinned at him.

Animal went up to the counter, "1 Baileys, 1 Irish Coffee." He asked.

"Right away, sir."

"So…what have you been doing? Irish?" Keeter asked. "This lass was ahead of us in the training class ahead."

"Oh, I'm flying with the Black Aces – they're on a TTC (turnaround training cycle) right now in prep for going out in '99 for our last cruise with the Tomcat, then we start training for the Super Hornet." Maegyn stated quietly looking around the bar. The nice thing about McMurphy's was that even though it looked like your standard bar, the atmosphere was of a middle-class after-work hangout that catered to the average working man. It made it a nice little place to relax after a grueling day at the office.

Animal walked back with the drinks in hand. "Here you go, sweetheart." He grinned at Maegyn who gave him a sunny smile back.

"…so, if I hear back from my detailer, I might have myself a nice little cushy CO tour." Jack's eyeballs popped open. "I'm an O-5 heading into my second year in grade. I'm hoping that I'm one of the eight percent selected above zone, but if not, I want to put myself into a position where I can be selected at zone come O-6 selection board." She said matter-of-factly, slightly amused that the fact that she was a full commander came as a shocker to Jack, while Animal draped his arm around her back in mutual support.

"Wow." Harm grinned. "That's great to hear, Irish. So, you hanging out at a hotel around here…"

"Naw…" Irish grinned at Harm, giving Animal a sidelong glance. "I'm bunking with Animal." And laughed as Harm's and Keeter's eyeballs grew round.

"Lucky bastard…" Keeter said as he looked over at Animal.

"I figured you were going to be here." A familiar and disgusted sounding voice caused Harm to turn around. It was Sarah "Mac" Mackenzie. Figures.

"What is it, Mac?" Harm sighed.

"Well…I was just wondering if you would give me a hand with an interview tomorrow that I have to do for a case. The guy gives me the heebiejeebies." Mac asked, looking over at Keeter, Animal and Maegyn sitting at the table.

"You know it's the last thing that I can do at the office. I'm out Friday." Harm's answer was short.

"What?!" Mac's jaw dropped open. "What are you saying?" Animal and Maegyn looked at each other, shrugging their shoulders.

"As of Monday, I'm at the Pentagon, NAVINSGEN office." He tossed his thumb at Animal. "He's my new CO."

"You can't be serious."

"Absolutely serious, Mac. I need to look at my career long and hard and see where I'm going in this Navy." Harm replied…enjoying Mac's discomfiture a bit too much "You know that I can't stagnate at JAG and three years is tops for HQ billets. I have to find myself a staff billet or I don't get promoted."

"Since when did your career become all so important that it overrode seeking out the truth?"

"…since I realized that Admiral Chegwidden was pointing our careers into the dumpster." Harm snapped, finally tired of the repartee that always seemed to be the case when it came to conversations with Mac, as of late. "So I'm giving my career some serious thought."

"I can't believe this…you're leaving me for what?" Mac fumed while Keeter and Animal looked at each other wondering what was going on.

"Mac, you're leaving for RLSO Southwest or did you forget that. By rights, you need to either finish up the case or pass it along to an attorney who is not leaving the office. If you're going down to interview someone, it's a case that can be passed off to an attorney who is incoming."

"Fine…" snapped Mac as she gathered herself up and walked out of the bar.

"Well…that was fun." Animal remarked to the amusement of the rest of the group sitting at the table.

"So tell me again what you're doing bunking with Animal?" Keeter asked eagerly.

"Oh…enjoying every minute of our time together…every single minute" Maegyn said huskily as she caressed Animal's arm and smiled, showing perfect white teeth in a naughty smile at Animal, completely and utterly drenching cold water all over Keeter's hopes of a pretty Irish-American lass at his side.

"I guess, I have naught but drinking left…" sighed Jack disconsolately. "There are many good reasons for drinking, One has just entered my head- If a man doesn't drink when he's living, How the hell can he drink when he's dead?" he said as he downed his beer mug full of Guinness. Harm just about fell out of his chair laughing.

"Crashed n' burned, buddy…" Harm grinned.

_**Animal's Apartment, 503-4141 Henderson Road, Arlington, VA**_

Animal and Maegyn got home from McMurphy's Tavern at about 1131hrs. After 15 Jamaican Leprechauns (Irish Crème, Kahlua, spiced rum and warm milk) on Maegyn's part and four Irish Crème on Animal's, Animal and Maegyn were happily pissed out of their minds.

"Oh, yes…" Maegyn said rather tipsily, "I think the room is spinning…"

"I agree with you…" Animal mumbled, his words slurring; the last Irish crème was a bit too much. "A bit too mush…"

Maegyn giggled; something she only did when she was absolutely drunk out of her mind. "Oh…my god…" she started, forgot what she was about to say…and tried to start again. "I can't believe that Major… she comes in, starts haranguing Harm. Was she on drugs or something; because she sure didn't make any sense?"

"Well, that's for poor Harm to iron out." Animal grinned at her…himself feeling kind of light-headed and under the influence.

"Maybe they should just fuck…" Maegyn said laughing… "I sensed sexual tension there…"

"mmmm…" Animal grunted. "I sense sexual tension here…" he said giving her a licentious grin.

"Oh?" Maegyn said. "By the way, did we actually eat anything while we were out?"

"I think eating was the least of the things that passed our minds."…Animal replied. Evidently they were too busy watching Harm and Keeter attempt to drink each other under the table. Well, having four naval aviators, not Naval Flight officers, but Type _**A**_ aviators, there was bound to cause trouble. Keeter swore up and down that he could drink Harm under the table and then challenged Animal and Irish to do the same. "Think we should order something to eat?" Animal asked. "I don't think we should go to bed and end up with major league hang-overs. Wouldn't look good on our record."

"Yeah…most definitely." Maegyn grinned…her eyes having a little trouble focusing. "Oh my god, tonight was such a fun night…" she said…swaying a little; thinking that she had to sit down before she fell over. "Tonight was like an ethnic joke…what do you get when you get two Irishmen, one Irishwoman and one Japanese in a bar?"

"I don't know..." Animal laughed.

"3 pints, 3 pints, 3 pints and 1 ounce…"

Animal nearly fell over laughing. Of course, Asians found that they couldn't metabolize alcohol as well so they ended up getting drunker quicker. Thank god, they had the foresight to have a taxi bring them to McMurphy's and left their cars at home. "God, that's hysterical…" Animal laughed as he leaned against Maegyn as they fell onto the couch. "Oh, man, the room's spinning…"

"Can you fuc-function…" Maegyn asked then giggled as she realized her mistake.

"I think so…" Animal swayed a bit as he got up off the couch to go retrieve the phone. Somehow they managed to order, pay for the order (when it arrived), and then manage to eat it without too much problem. Other than negotiating the floor while standing up…was a slight problem. Animal notified Maegyn that it might be a good idea to drink a lot of water to rehydrate oneself or they'd wake up with splitting heads to the point where they couldn't function the next morning.

"Of course…" Maegyn grinned as she downed two slices of pizza polishing it off with a tall glass of water, and then somehow managing to make it to the kitchen sink to get herself a refill. When she returned, she grinned at Animal. "Well, we managed to feed ourselves. Anything else that you want to do?" she asked suggestively.

(_**AN: **__Suggestive XXX scene between Maegyn and Animal being written for "An Archive of Our Own" – you can read it there – under the same name CdnJAGScribe_)

_**JAG HQ, Falls Church, VA, Friday Morning Staff Call; 0830hrs**_

Harm settled into the chair in the board room for the last time, as he contemplated the faces around him. Meg, Mac. Mattoni and Imes. Mac looked absolutely disgusted and angry, Meg looked somewhat saddened at the thought that there was such an upheaval in the JAG office.

The latter half of the week had been a hectic blur of paperwork that needed to be filed before the transfer could take place. All cases were to be returned to the JAG pro tem and be apportioned out to other attorneys who would take them over.

"Atten-HUT!" All the officers sprang to attention. RDML Morris walked into the office. "Well, Friday staff call. I just want to thank Lieutenant Commanders Rabb, Mattoni and Imes for their impeccable service here and best wishes in their new postings. Major Mackenzie, the same goes for you in your new posting at RLSO San Diego."

"Thank you, sir."

The rest of the officers at the JAG office who were not being transferred were assigned the cases that were unfinished and the rest of the morning was taken up with briefing the new attorneys who had taken over the cases on what had been accomplished prior to the turn-over.

_**Harm's office, JAG HQ, Falls Church, Friday morning, 1145hrs**_

Harm was slowly packing up his office when the door of his office opened. "Harm?" Harm sighed slowly and turned around.

"Mac." He didn't want to go through this again, he was tired and just wanted to have a bit of peace and quiet before he had to transfer to his new place of work.

"Look, I shouldn't have said what I did to you." Mac sighed. "It just hit me hard that you were transferring out and I completely forgot that I was doing the same thing. We're going to be on opposite sides of the continent." She looked absolutely miserable as she looked at Harm, for any sort of feeling from him.

"Well, Mac, maybe it's for the best." He said slowly. "We've put each other through a lot these past two years…and maybe…" he paused for a long moment. "It's best that we went our separate ways, not as enemies, but as friends."

"When were we enemies?" she asked plaintively.

"Well, I couldn't say that we were the best of friends at some stages of our career…" Harm stated. "Good luck, Mac…" he said with some finality wanting to draw the door closed quickly.

"Good luck to you too, Harm…" she said. "…and Harm…"

"What is it, Mac?" he asked.

"I really do hope you find your father…"


	13. Chapter 12

_**Harm's office, JAG HQ, Falls Church, Friday morning, 1155hrs**_

Harm looked at Mac who was standing there, with an enigmatic stare, "Yeah…thanks…" he muttered. "I hope so too." He put a stop to going down memory lane; forcibly squelching the memory of the lost opportunity on the Hornet down. It had been a tangible item recovered, then Lieutenant Mark Falcon had somehow managed to retrieve that little book from him, quite probably after an engineered fall on that ship, but Harm had kept his suspicions close to his chest.

Mac sighed and then turned to the door. "I guess I'd better go. I've got to get busy with packing up my stuff, since it's my last day too."

"Well…good luck, Mac." Harm replied, knowing that another chapter of his life was closing; wondering if he should be feeling anything. After a bit of introspection, as Mac left the office and shut the door behind her, he realized that there wasn't anything. He turned to grasp the HGU-33/P flight helmet and MBU-14/P oxygen mask that he had worn during his first tour with the Howlers off the shelf that he had it on. A big box of personal items sat on top of his desk as he looked at the rapidly dwindling number of items that he had to pack. How much of that was going to go into his new office at the Pentagon, he wondered. He figured that he'd better considering thinning some of his items and leaving them at home, depending on the size of office he was going to be utilizing. Another knock on the door caused Harm to look over. "Come in…"

"I'm sorry, sir…" Bud said. "I just wanted to say that it was fun serving with you, sir." He extended a hand out and Harm reached out to grasp it, shaking hands.

"You too, Bud." Harm grinned.

"It just hit me that it's not going to be the same here without you two, sir." Bud looked miserable.

"Well, Bud, that's the way the Navy goes. You have to go where you are needed and use these postings to further your career." Harm was sympathetic to the young man's plight. Bud looked up to him as a mentor, but he had to realize that his career path was not hitched to Harm's or Mac's; that Bud had to make his own way through the navy system.

"Understood, sir." Bud looked resigned to the fact that he needed to find a new mentor. "But I have to say that it was good having your guidance, sir."

"I'm glad that I could help. But we have different paths that we need to walk." Harm indicated, gesturing towards the admiral's door. "I'm sure that Admiral Morris will be happy to advise you, if you ask." At that Bud looked like his mood lightened a bit more than he had when he had entered Harm's office.

"Thank you, sir." Bud replied to Harm's suggestion "…and good luck, sir at NAVINSGEN."

"Thanks, Bud. How are the preparations for the wedding going?" Harm asked his subordinate who went off in a rather long explanation of what was going on with Harriet, his mother-in-law-to-be and his father.

It wasn't that much longer after Bud's visit that Harm put his last item in the box and he went off to inform Tiner that he was pretty much all packed up and he would secure early. RDML Morris gruffly agreed that Harm could secure and that was that. Harm returned to his office, grabbed his stuff and headed for the door, the eyes and thoughts of everyone in the bullpen following him. As he stepped onto the elevator and turned, the elevator closing in front of him was like a camera shutter drawing closed on the last image of the entire office staring towards the elevator.

As he walked out to the Corvette, he looked up to see a face at the window. It was Mac, the expression on her face unreadable. He drew in a breath, expelled it slowly, pulled out his keys from his pocket and inserted it into the door-lock of the Corvette. Then he engaged the lever that put the driver's seat forward and placed the box in the cramped space that passed for a back seat. Then without a backward glance, he got into his car, started the engine and engaged the reverse, backing out of the parking space, spinning the wheel left. After engaging drive, he spun the wheel the other way to straighten and move forward towards the gate.

The gate guard noticed the box in the back seat and asked. "Leaving us, sir?"

"New billet, Corporal." Harm replied.

"It was good serving with you, sir." The Marine Corporal stepped back and saluted, Harm returning it, knowing that it marked finality to his time at JAG, but looking forward to the new challenges. The gate lifted and Harm moved his Corvette onto the road turning his nose towards home and the weekend.

_**Animal's Office, Office of the NAVINSGEN, Pentagon Detachment, 1300hrs**_

Animal looked up to see LCDR Liandra Gracen in front of his desk. "So, you are all prepared to return to JAG?"

"Yes, sir. For the short time here, it was good serving with you." Lia declared, hating the fact that she was pretty much telling a falsehood and he probably knew it too. They both didn't particularly like each other very much.

"Good, Lieutenant Commander, seeing as how the rest of the day will be taken up by out-processing; you'd better get started on that." Animal replied.

"Aye-aye, sir." Lia braced to attention, then about-faced when Animal said,

"Dismissed." Lia nodded and proceeded to walk out the door, closing it gently behind her. She sighed in relief as she headed back to her office to gather her things.

Meanwhile back in the office, Animal looked over at the clock. 1303hrs - there were times when the clock absolutely dragged interminably long. Looking over a file that some of his other investigators were looking into at other commands, he noted some discrepancies that had come across his purview. He made a note to have Lieutenant Commander Rabb look into them when he came on board. Picking up the phone, he asked. "Yeoman Carran?"

"Yes, sir." YN1 Carran's voice was steady on the other end of the line.

"Would it be OK, if I could get another can of cola?" Animal felt a yawn coming as he tried to restrain himself from yawning in his yeoman's ear. "Every single day after lunch, I feel like my head is going to bounce off my desk." He explained.

"Yes, sir…" YN1 Carran always made sure that the galley stocked up Animal's fridge with Pepsi-Cola. It was Animal's one vice. The captain rarely ever drank coffee even though it was stronger – it was the taste, the captain had said.

Replacing the phone on the cradle, Animal returned to his mind-numbing chore of looking over files. About two minutes later, a knock on the door sounded. "Enter!" he called out and YN1 Carran entered with a cold Pepsi can and a glass on a silver platter. That way she could keep her hands off the can and not inadvertently warm the cola. Animal nodded his thanks, then looked up. "Morna. When are you taking the Chief's exam?" he asked. That caused Morna to stop mid-stride as she turned to look at Animal with a questioning glance.

"Sir?" she asked.

"Your Chief's exam? Are you planning on taking it?" Animal questioned her. "You've been a Yeoman First for how long now?"

"18 months, sir." YN1 Carran replied. "The Chief's exam comes up in another month, sir."

"Good, because I'd like to see you advance." Animal noted perfunctorily… "and when your marks are posted, I presume the Chiefs will convene for a peer review?"

"Yes, sir. I presume that's the way that they select new Chiefs, sir." YN1 Carran replied as she wondered.

"Your advancement is necessary for your career." Animal reiterated. "We need to make sure that your career flourishes in this Navy, unlike certain billets of late – especially the one the SECNAV had to recently remedy. And if you stay at this billet too long, your career will suffer."

"Yes, sir." YN1 Carran enjoyed serving as Animal's yeoman, but she knew deep-down that she had to move onwards and upwards. "Will I be instructing my replacement, sir?" Animal nodded in answer.

_**CO's Office, VF-41 Black Aces, NAS Lemoore, CA 1320hrs**_

"Leon, come into my office please." Commander Joseph "Scooter" Willis looked over at his yeoman who got up and strode into his office. YN2 Leon Miguel Trebalos squared off in front of Scooter's desk; a five foot nine fireplug, square-jawed Latino, broad-shouldered, who lettered in wrestling in high-school, he was an impressive figure, even more impressive though was his commanding officer, an Oklahoma native who stood 6'2" and had the figure of a body-builder – necessary to fly jets through the high-g environment where even pulling on the stick required a pull of almost four hundred pounds. "Leon, I hate to lose you, but I just got orders today to send you to DC, signed off by an O-6 no less. He's got eagles, I got silver oak leaves so unfortunately there's no way I can cancel 'em. And anyways, that O-6 asked for you by name and he wants you in town by next week."

"Well, sir, the O-6, sir, is he one of ours?" Leon asked, wondering who this O-6 was.

"I checked up his dossier, he was one of us, served as the CO of the Black Aces before they yanked him because of his blue-button…" Scooter growled, as he saw Leon's face widen into a grin.

"Is that who I think it is, sir?"

"Yep…my old driver." Scooter said. "…and I'm going to staff at NSAWC - Fallon which means the Black Aces are getting a new CO."

"Man, DC is shaking us real bad, sir."

"Naw, I know who the new CO is going to be." Scooter replied as he looked over at the squadron photo. "one of us too…just like always."

"XO?" Leon inquired. Scooter nodded. Irish was going to have her hands full with this squadron. A bunch of new cones signed on last week and she was going to have to chew on them to make them cooperate. Scooter emitted a low chuckle. Well, that was going to be her problem, not his. He was goin' to Topgun to make the students there cry.

"You'd better secure...because you need to hop a plane if you want to be in DC before Monday." Scooter said.

"Aye, aye, sir." Leon nodded. "I'll get right on that, sir."

"One more thing, Leon…" Scooter reached over the table to shake Leon's hand. "It was good serving with you, Yeoman Two. Good luck in DC."

"Thank you, sir."

_**Animal's Office, Office of the NAVINSGEN, Pentagon Detachment, 1645hrs**_

Animal looked over at the clock, it was now fifteen minutes to secure and he was just about ready to call it an evening, when the door opened. A slight breeze wafted Maegyn's scent of perfume towards him and he looked up. It was a long moment before she growled, "Are you stealing my yeoman?" she looked at him with a look that indicated that she was yanking his leg, even though her perturbed tone belied that.

"Who…me?" Animal asked innocently.

"Yeah, you…" she grumbled acidly. "I get confirmation that I'm the new CO of VF-41 Black Aces…and I hear from Scooter that you're stealing my yeoman – whom he calls the best damned yeoman in the Navy."

"Well, I found him." Animal said peevishly as he fastened a smug look on his face, "…and I want him back…"

"I'm going to get you back for that…" Maegyn muttered.

"Promises, promises…" Animal stuck out his tongue at Maegyn, "But seriously, he needs to study for his YN1 rate and you guys at the Black Aces keep him hopping. He's been two years in grade and should actually be moving forward to a One rating."

Maegyn muttered again, low in her throat. "I see what you're saying makes a lot of sense, but I hate you for it." She grumbled. "Now I'm going to have to find my own new yeoman."

"Always necessary experience for a new commanding officer…" Animal grinned, making Maegyn wish that she could cave in his head with a frying pan, but then she'd miss him.

"Damn…" she grumbled again.

"You're welcome…"

"Shut up, sir."

_**Harm's Apartment, North of Union Station 1655hrs**_

The scent of frying onions permeated Harm's apartment as he listened to some John Coltrane off his 1964 album _A Love Supreme_. There was something about still having a record player on his stereo system. The warmth of vinyl could never be duplicated off a CD and though Harm had both, it just wasn't the same as pulling out a record, sticking it on the turntable and letting it spin. Throwing on a slight dash of green onion and chive cream cheese, he added some flavoring to the onions. Then adding in some eggs for protein; this was going to form a side dish to his main course of salad and sweet potato casserole. When the onions were done, he grinned as he shut off the burner. Maybe it was time to invite Lia to his apartment for dinner, she'd be getting off her shift at the Pentagon soon and securing for the afternoon.

A knock on the door interrupted his train of thought, as he went to the door. Opening it, he was pleasantly surprised to see Liandra standing there.

"You know, I was just thinking about calling you." Harm ushered her in the apartment door.

"Yeah…I went home to my apartment. Captain Nakamura gave me the afternoon to secure and make ready for my return to JAG. You never told me that you were taking over my position PCS. Dammit!" she muttered. "Jerk!" she shot an epithet in his direction.

"Well, it was need to know until then…" Harm replied as he sniffed the air sensing the potato casserole was just about finished. "Care to stay for dinner?"

Liandra looked at him, measuring him up. "You know my only objective was to chew your ass out for taking over a position that I paved the way for…but yeah, dinner sounds good."

"You're welcome…" Harm's smile widened into that famous flyboy grin of his just vague enough to make Lia wonder if the '_you're welcome' was for offering her dinner or taking over that NAVINSGEN position. _

"Jerk…" she muttered.

"Need to freshen up before dinner?" Harm asked solicitously.

Lia replied, "No, I took a shower before I came over…" her smile evil as she watched Harm squirm for a minute noting his sideways shuffle behind the island to mask his physical response to her statement and then walked over to put her jacket on the coat rack and then sat down demurely on his couch planting an innocent smile on her face. "What you're cooking smells good…is it vegetarian stuff again?"

Harm knew she was not a vegetarian. "Of course, if you'd like I could throw in a lasagna with ground beef…" – he always made sure he kept something that had meat in it due to his propensity to have friends who kept eating dead animals.

"Naw, I think I'll eat what you're cooking." Lia grinned at him. "Smells good enough…"

Harm stated, "Why thank you…" somewhat pleased but stung by her perfunctory critique of his cooking. "I'm sure you won't die from it…"

Lia gave as good as she got. "Well…" she smirked. "That's a relief."

"Lia, I was wondering if you were going to Bud's wedding?" he asked. "Because if you are, I was wondering if I could go with you to the wedding…" He hastily asked. "Bud sent me an invite for me plus one, but I don't have anyone that I can go with right now…"

Lia thought for a moment before responding "I wouldn't be averse to it…" she stated as she looked him up and down. "I'd actually enjoy going there…and yes, I've gotten an invitation too. I guess we'll just respond that we're going minus the one…on each invitation and then go together. It'll save them two extra plates."

"Good thinking…" Harm nodded acknowledging the rationale behind that. Thank God, Harriet hadn't gotten her claws into Lia with regards to a relationship with either Animal or Harm. Harm was testing out the waters with Lia and considering Lia's skittishness towards relationships, he wanted to take this slow. And frankly, considering Lia's volatility in regards to those kinds of matters being meddled in, the poor Ensign would have gotten her head gnawed off to the bone. But then he paled. If they went to the wedding together…oh shit…

…but at least Lia didn't look concerned. He retrieved the sweet potato casserole from the oven and it looked nicely browned, then scooped the contents of the frying pan onto each plate, added potato casserole to the plates and a salad bowl for each, along with Italian dressing for him and Ranch dressing for her.

"So…" Lia started as they dug into their food, "Are you looking forward to the position?"

"I'm sure it'll be interesting…" Harm replied as he took a bite of the casserole. It turned out well, he figured, judging from the expression on Lia's face as she took a bite of the same.

When Lia had swallowed her first bite of food, she ventured. "Well, there's going to be a lot of paperwork. I hear there's a big investigation going on with Second Fleet and some discrepancies in accounting. You'll probably be assigned to head that investigation, but it all depends on what Captain Nakamura has to say about that." She continued after swallowing her second bite of food. "Then of course, NSAWC underwent a move to Fallon and Captain Nakamura is going to also investigate that to make sure that everything went smoothly in the transfer of operations over from Miramar to Fallon. You know, typical oversight matters."

Harm was starting to think that there was more to this NAVINSGEN process than was previously intimated at. "Yeah, I'm sure I'm going to be kept busy…" he acknowledged the work that was potentially going to be piled on his desk.

"Also, the Deputy Naval Inspector General is a civilian type and you need to make sure you understand that he's also in the chain of command and is your superior." Lia noted. Harm nodded. There was going to be a chain of command in the Naval Inspector General's office and he noted that he'd need to get briefed so that he didn't tread on the wrong feet while there. "Good." Lia noted that Harm had digested that information. "You'll get briefed by Lieutenant Commander Manetti."

"OK…" Harm replied, noting those things mentally in a checklist of things that he would have to do when he got to the Pentagon Monday morning.

"Thank goodness I'm back at JAG on Monday." Lia said… "NAVINSGEN is now YOUR problem." finishing off with a smirk.

Harm sighed melodramatically "I suppose it is…" he continued to eat his food, then stated. "So what are your plans once you get back to JAG?"

"Oh, I think I'm going to try to get onto judiciary. I'm sure that the replacement Judge Advocate General will require my services as lawyer until I get my O-5. I'm in zone in two years and there is a distinct possibility that I could get deep-selected." Lia sounded confident.

"That sounds like a distinct possibility." Harm opined as he looked over at Lia. "You do know that your career as a judge is assured if you hit O-5, that's when you end up serving on the bench if you choose the judiciary route. I'll miss seeing your face at the office, but you know where to find me."

"Sure…" Lia said shortly. "I'll just wander over in my free time." She smirked. "Not that I'm sure I'll have much when Admiral Morris gets a hold of me; at least until the case load is cleared and we get some more attorneys on staff." Harm knew that she was telling the truth as the case-load had been great and they were short-staffed now with four senior attorneys heading off for different billets. It made things that much more difficult.

"But we'll see each other when we have the chance, right?" Harm suggested.

"Maybe…" was all that Lia would promise.


	14. Chapter 13

_**Animal's Apartment, 503-4141 Henderson Road, Arlington, VA 1835hrs**_

Animal grinned as he thought about the weekend. "Hey, Maegyn, wanna go flying?" he was thinking about the possibility of making a trip out to Manassas where he had his own Cherokee which he had picked up for about forty-eight thousand; not much more expensive than a car. He had thought about Cessna, but all their general aviation aircraft were tail-draggers and Animal hated tail-draggers. He would much rather do three point landings with a Piper than have to worry about fishtailing or bunny-hopping down the runway because he hadn't gotten his tail-dragger down at the right airspeed.

"What?" she asked, her eyes bright and curious. "You didn't tell me you bought a civilian aircraft."

"Yep, all I had to do was ace my written, which I did. I've had the aircraft for six months now and try to get up as often as I can to keep up my hours." Animal sounded proud of himself. "If they won't let me in a military aircraft, I might as well go for my airline pilot's and my multi-engine ducted fan rating so that I'm all ready to do what I need to when I finish my twenty. They gave me my commercial pilot's due to my passing military flight school. I love my Piper Cherokee; it gives me a sense that I'm not trapped on the ground here." Animal finished. "But I can't afford a Lear, damned things are too expensive."

"So what did you have to give them?" Maegyn asked.

"Gave them my OPNAVFORM 3760-31, Aviators Flight Logbook, OPNAV 3710/2, NATOPS Instrument Rating Request, and OPNAV 3760/32 (REV 4-81), NATOPS Flight Personnel Training and Qualification Jacket. It was either/or so I just gave them everything." Animal informed her. "Read up on the FAA-G-8082-5 Commercial Pilot Knowledge Test Guide; gave me everything I needed to know. I was lucky, I was still in the 12 month window or I would have had to do everything all over, practical, written and at least 12 hours of Pilot-in-Command time in the category of aircraft that I intend to fly – guess it's just to make sure that I'm not rusty. The Cherokee I have is a PA-28-180 Cherokee Warrior, gross weight is 2,400lbs; 50 gallon tank and it's great for short hops around the region."

Maegyn grinned at Animal. "So…you wouldn't consider buying a Stearman like Harm's?"

Animal glared at her for a brief moment. "Do I look like I have a death-wish? I hate having nothing keeping me in the aircraft with the exception of two straps built by the lowest bidder." It was a 44 minute drive to Manassas and Animal figured, what the heck, why not stop off at a hotel and enjoy the evening then get a full day of flying in on Saturday, just for some fun. He looked over to see what Maegyn's reaction to the idea would be.

"So…shall we go?" Maegyn grinned at him.

Animal nodded as he grabbed some stuff together, including some flight maps. "Any idea where we can fly to?" he asked.

_**Main Intelligence Directorate, Khoroshevskoye shosse 76, Khodinka, Moscow**_

"Colonel Parlovsky…I have the information that you have been seeking. Lieutenant Rabb's information was found aboard the USS Hornet…by his son; I managed to get it away from him." Major Mark Gennadi Sokol stated to his handler who nodded silently as he contemplated the view outside the window overlooking Khoroshevskoye schosse. "Lieutenant Commander Rabb, his son, is looking around for clues. What should we do with him?"

"The answer, Comrade Major, is…" Colonel Mikhail Parlovsky answered, his smile a death's head smile over skull-like features… "nothing. He is attempting to jump over his own head – an old Russian proverb…" he chuckled as if he had made a joke that only he could understand. "No matter, if he persists in trying to find out, he will come here and then he will be easier to deal with."

The Major nodded. Rabb could potentially cause problems if he continued to dig into the matter of his father going missing. But he knew that Parlovsky was right. Unless Rabb showed up in Moscow, there was nothing that he could do, at least nothing that he could attempt without blowing his cover. Sokol joined his superior in looking out the window at Khoroshevskoye schosse.

Parlovsky on the other hand, contemplated the options that he had. The Politburo would not approve of the dark forces meddling in business that was solely the domain of the Russian Federation and they would want anyone who was eliminated. "Perhaps…" he considered out loud, "…the bait hides the hook…" he looked over at Sokol.

_**Harm's Apartment, North of Union Station 1900hrs**_

"Well," Lia noted the time on her watch and got up from the couch where she was too comfortably entwined. "I think I should really get going."

"Any plans for the weekend?" Harm inquired sensing her reticence and not wanting to push if she was reluctant.

"Aside from reviewing a few cases that I know are still on my '_to do'_ list." Harm noticed Lia didn't look too thrilled with the idea of sitting down with legal folders for the weekend.

He came up with an idea. "Say, I was thinking about going flying this weekend. You want to come up to where I have Sarah stored?"

"Sarah?"

"Yeah, my Stearman; I fixed her up when I was recovering from my ramp-strike." Harm informed her – either way he was going flying that weekend, it wouldn't hurt to ask.

"You know what…" Lia replied after a long moment of reflection before answering. "That sounds like a fun weekend. I'll take you up on that. Anything I should bring along?"

"Just be ready at 0600hrs tomorrow morning." Harm informed her as he shot her a wide smile…"Bring a heavy jacket that you can wear and a wool cap. It's going to be cold at altitude…" and winked at her. "I don't want to bring you down on to the ground an ice cube."

"Trust me…" Lia noted the friendly dig, and saucily riposted, "I look good in blue…" she grinned at him. "0600? That's an early morning…"

"Well, it's a long drive." He grinned at her.

_**Olde Towne Inn, Manassas, VA 2100hrs**_

_**AN:**__ TripAdvisor website has mentioned that this motel wasn't the best of motels back in the 90s, but I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt as there have been mixed reviews.)_

Animal grinned at Maegyn as he parked his car at the Olde Towne Inn. Animal noted that it was a red-brick motel; nicely designed with entrances from the exterior as he and Maegyn entered the Inn reception area. The elderly concierge smiled at them, "May I help you?" she asked as she managed to struggle to her feet, slowly and arthritically, hunched over painfully, walking towards Maegyn and Animal at the counter.

Maegyn smiled at her. "I'd like to rent a room…" she held her hand out while Animal deposited his credit card into it. The concierge restrained a laugh opting to give the two of them an indulgently maternal look at the intimate gesture and immediately knew that the couple in front of her was together despite their disparate ethnicities… "…for two nights." Maegyn finished, shooting Animal a warm glance.

"Very well…" the elderly lady smiled gently at the two informing them "The rate will be $78 per night which will come out to $156.00 plus our state sales tax of 5.3% and another 0.7% state tax in Manassas. In total that comes out to $165.42. Since you are paying by credit card, the usual $100.00 damage deposit is waived."

Maegyn thanked her as the concierge dug into the desk drawers and pulled out keys for the room that they would be staying in. "I'll give you room 23 – 51 to 54 are prone to night disturbances…and we reserve them for ghost hunters. Miss Lucy likes to accommodate them. I'm sure you would prefer a good night's sleep." Animal and Maegyn looked at each other with uneasy looks as Animal thanked her and accepted the keys. They both went out to locate their room. Grabbing their seabags from their car, they locked the door. Looking at the key, Animal noted that the room was on the ground floor. He sighed in relief; that meant no climbing stairs and his back thanked him. As a naval aviator, he had experienced one ejection and the compression injuries to his spine still bothered him from time to time.

When they unlocked the door and opened it, the room was clean and Animal sighed in relief; no crawling things with more legs than were necessary and the room did not smell of second hand smoke. Animal found that second hand smoke tended to make him nauseous and he wasn't too fond of cigar smoke. Thank goodness, Harm had quit that disgusting habit; he didn't need to smell that crap around the office either. There was a nice king sized bed, he noted, and a couch in the room, which was nice. There was a 32 inch TV on top of the six drawer dresser and a dressing table with mirror and chair. Animal inspected the bathroom, the bath tub was in its own little room inside the bathroom separated from the toilet area and bathroom sink and both sections were separated from the sleeping area by a door.

Maegyn sighed as she looked around the room, then dropped her sea-bag under the desk, gesturing to Animal to put his sea-bag beside hers. "Now we need to find some food." She looked exhausted.

"TGI Fridays?" Animal tossed out a suggestion.

"Yeah…that sounds good. But I guess we're going to have to go out again." Maegyn barely suppressed a yawn.

"Looks like it." They grabbed their motel-room key and went back out again. It was a thirteen minute drive to TGI Fridays on Route 234 and Animal was yawning again by the time they got there. Animal opted to get a Jack Daniel's Chicken Sandwich which he ordered take-out. Maegyn opted for Bruschetta Chicken Pasta. A quick stop at a convenience store for a couple of colas for both Maegyn and Animal pretty much topped off the trip and the thirteen minute trip back to the motel was enjoyed in silence while they marinated in the smells of the food emanating from the takeout bag. When they were back in their room – the two of them grinned at each other and dove into the bag reaching for their respective meals.

Being exhausted, they put the discarded containers in the now empty takeout bag in prep to toss it out in the morning, locked the door, pulled the curtains, stripped clothes and went to bed, snuggling comfortably under the covers.

_**Liandra's Apartment, 614-2475 Virginia Avenue, Georgetown, Washington DC. 0545hrs**_

(_**AN**__: I've done this for literary purposes. Harm moves his Stearman to Pop's in Blacksburg, VA later_).

Lia dressed quickly in jeans and a white blouse. Pulling on a pair of leather combat boots, since she knew she was going flying with Harm that day, she grabbed a warm cap from the closet, then she grabbed a heavy leather coat, locking the door to her suite behind her, she got ready to head down to the lobby to wait for Harm. When she got downstairs, he was already in front of the main lobby door waiting patiently.

"Hi, Harm…" she gave him a quick peck on the cheek in greeting as she got in the car while Harm grinned at her. "So, where are we going?" Buckling up her seat-belt she leaned back and waited for his answer.

"I've got Sarah parked down at Manassas airport…She's hangar'd and sheltered out of the elements, but I can still take her out and fly her." Harm replied as he engaged the Corvette in drive.

Lia leaned back in her seat and watched the scenery go past as Harm put the Corvette through its paces down I-66, heading towards Manassas.

_**Olde Towne Inn, Manassas, VA, Room 23, 0600hrs,**_

Maegyn yawned, looking over to note a still comatose Animal who was laying there with his back towards her facing the edge of the bed. Snuggling in close to him, she evilly grinned and licked his earlobe. That elicited a grumble of protest from him. Evidently he was still three-quarters asleep – this meant that she was going to have to up her plan of attack. Reaching around his sleeping torso, she smiled as she found what she was feeling around for…and tugged.

"Wha-?" was Animal's gasp of surprise in her ear. "Ow! Why you…" he growled looking displeased at Maegyn who grinned at him innocently.

…saying. "Oh, you're awake."

"You are so lucky that we're going flying today…or…" Animal muttered

Maegyn smiled, "or…what?"

"I might have to devise some sort of retribution…"

"Like what?" her inquisitive inquiry caused Animal to flip her over on her back.

"Skin to skin contact for the rest of the day…" he growled amorously, "In…our room…here…all day…"

"Hmmm…" Maegyn replied to that suggestion by caressing his back and pulling him on top of her. "I do like that idea…"

Needless to say it was 0800hrs before they managed to get dressed.

_**Manassas Regional Airport, Manassas, VA, 0935hrs**_

After eating in the morning, Animal and Maegyn got to the airport at a little after half past nine in the morning.

"Morning, Cliff!" Animal called out as he looked over at the Airport manager. "How's my airplane?"

"Oh, she's lookin' mighty fine. Been a while since you were last here…but we've taken good care of her."

"Good, any bills I need to take care of?" Animal inquired. Maintenance fees and tarmac fees were a part of the upkeep that needed to be taken care of when one was dealing with an airplane."

"Well, I think you're square with us, but I'll take a look and see if there's another bill." Cliff replied, turning to a filing cabinet and rooting around in it.

_**Manassas Regional Airport, Manassas VA, 0945hrs**_

_**AN: **__Actually Animal's Cherokee aircraft registration number was in reality registered to a Grumman G-159 Gulfstream I in 1964. Just thought any airplane aficionados might be interested in knowing that. _

Harm looked over his Stearman that was sitting in the hangar just off 34L. Actually not too far away from the private hangar that Animal had his Piper Cherokee in, Animal's hangar was three doors down though Harm didn't know it. Hangar door open, he looked over at Lia, "A few more adjustments…and I think we'll be able to get this baby in the air…" he called out, then his eyes widened as he saw two familiar faces come walking by their open hangar door. "ANIMAL?!" he yelled out. "What are you doing here?" At that Lia rolled her eyes. Of all the people she had to meet today, it would be him! She handed Harm a wrench so that they could get the oil changed on the aircraft.

Animal nearly startled out of his reverie spun around and saw Harm standing by a vintage WWII Navy yellow biplane trainer with a red stripe encircling the middle of its fuselage. "Same thing it looks like you're doing, Harm!" Animal replied.

"Going flying?"

"Yeah…I got my Piper down here. Evidently it looks like we're three doors down…" Animal informed Harm as he continued walking.

"Couldn't fly open cockpit, could ya." Harm grinned at him as Animal continued to walk with Maegyn towards his hangar.

"I'm not insane, Rabb…" Animal threw back over his shoulder, finally turning towards his hangar three doors down and sticking the key in the door. Going in, he disarmed the burglar alarm and set about opening the hangar doors, so that he could get the blue striped Piper Cherokee ready to taxi out of the hangar. After doing a thorough walk-around he got into the aircraft, gestured to Maegyn to get into the right hand seat…which in the Piper Cherokee 180 made it extremely comfy.

Maegyn looked at him as they were sitting shoulder to shoulder. "Hmmm, this is nice. Very intimate…" she purred.

"Yeah…hold that thought…" Animal grinned at her and handed her a checklist. "read that out for me…"

"OK…Starting Engine Checklist." Maegyn stopped for a brief moment and looked over at him. "Ready?"

"OK…read it off…"

"Parking brake…"

"Set."

"Carb Heat" Maegyn read.

"Cold"

"Fuel Selector…"

"Left; indicator reads full on both tanks" – the left tank was usually drained first by the engine then the right.

"Cold start checklist." Maegyn intoned. "Throttle?"

"Open to a quarter inch."

"Master switch?"

"On."

"EFP"

"On."

"Mixture?"

"Rich."

"Magnetos…"

"Rotating switch clockwise while pressing in…" Animal replied while looking forward to see the prop rotate…as the engine caught.

"Throttles?"

"Throttles –forward" and Animal slowly moved the Cherokee 180 forward out of the hangar and stomped on the right rudder pedal to turn the 180 to the right to taxi out of the hangar area. As he passed Harm he lifted a thumbs up to Harm which he returned. "Manassas Tower, November Seven One Three Golf, Taxi, Take off Runway 34L." Animal radioed to the tower.

"Roger, November Seven One Three Golf, Taxi, Take off Runway 34L. Hold short Runway 34 left for Piper Aztec making a touch and go."

"Roger, November Seven One Three Golf acknowledges, Taxi, Take off Runway 34L. Holding short Runway 34 left for Piper Aztec; touch and go." Animal acknowledged the transmission from Manassas Tower as he watched the Aztec make a run-in to the runway, touching his main-mounts on the asphalt, then applying full power to scramble back into the sky for another go-around. "November Seven One Three Golf, Manassas Tower, taxiing onto Runway 34L for runup."

"Roger November Seven One Three Golf, Manassas Tower, Runway 34L clear for take-off. Have a good flight."

Animal grinned at Maegyn as she turned to him and smiled. "OK…sweetheart, we're goin' flying." He crowed as he lined up on the center-line and opened throttles releasing the brakes. The gentle acceleration of the Piper Cherokee 180 wasn't at all like the F-14s that they were used to – the kick in the pants wasn't there and the engine was a lot less powerful, adequate enough that the engine and prop pulled the Piper down the runway and into the air.

"Wonder if Harm is still down there tinkering with his Stearman." Animal snickered as he looked forwards and to the sides downwards and in his sideviews to make sure that his sector in the sky was clear. The airspeed indicator was reading 120 knots with a headwind of 9 knots pushing back on the airframe.

"Last I saw, Lieutenant Commander Gracen was helping him." Maegyn replied. "So…where are we going?"

"Well, I thought for this flight, we might like to visit Rochester, New York, then head for Portland, Maine, then back down the Eastern Seaboard to Manassas." Animal grinned.

"Sounds like a plan. Any place to eat in Rochester?" Maegyn looked out the window to keep an eye out for aircraft on their starboard side.

_**Manassas Regional Airport, Manassas VA 1040hrs**_

Harm finally finished the last of the adjustments and refilled the oil and finally managed to get everything ship-shape for flying that afternoon. After heading back from the meteorology building and filing their flight plan, he noticed Lia was looking up at the sky to see if everything was alright for a flight. His eyes followed her gaze skywards. It looked as though some clouds were floating in at about mid-altitude. As a light plane, they would be stuck under this stuff and these looked like cumulus clouds – it looked as though the bases were at about 11,500 feet. "Looks like we might be in for some weather, Lia." He informed her. "Right now it doesn't look too good and Animal and Maegyn just took off forty-five minutes ago. I saw the WX NOTAMS when I went over to file our flight plan and it said that there were stratocumulus with the potential to become CB (cumulonimbus) by late afternoon. Animal might be running into weather on the way back." Harm notified Lia. "I hope he made sure that he was aware of the weather situation."

"I'm sure he did…" Lia looked over at Harm who looked concerned as he continued to monitor the sky. "If he's as good of an aviator as you say he is…I'm sure he'd be making sure of the situation."

"I hope so…" Harm looked back down, kicking a rock away from the door of the airplane. Less FOD to worry about, he thought as he walked over to the Stearman. "I think we'll be doing a couple circuits and then see what develops before flying over to University Park Airport, because if it does develop into something that ends up concerning us, I don't want to be up in that thing."

"Good idea…" Lia replied as she looked equally worried at the darkening skies.


	15. Chapter 14

_**Piper Cherokee N713G, 135 miles north of Manassas, over Sproule Forest, PA **_

Maegyn looked over at Animal, concerned with the darkening development of the altocumulus clouds that were rising into the sky to the starboard of their course. The WX NOTAMS prior to when they left hadn't made any indications that there would be developing thunderstorms in their area, but then again the weather picture could have changed while they were in the air. Thunderstorms were quick to develop and if she and Animal didn't keep watch over it, they could get into a nasty situation – she'd experienced flying around them while she was flying in her Tomcat, but this was another thing flying in a small aircraft.

"The ride's getting bumpy…" Animal stated casually, his hands on the yoke compensating for the turbulent motion in the air. "We're getting some clear air turbulence…" the Cherokee suddenly rose about fifty feet in the air. "Shit…" he muttered as he compensated with throttle forward, hell at the moderate speed that the Cherokee was capable of, there wasn't much wiggle room as far as airspeed was concerned. "We're getting up-drafted. Maegyn, I'm going to need your hands on the other yoke."

"OK…just let me know when you want me to assist." Maegyn's answers were short and clipped giving clue to her stress level, and she noted that there was towering cumulus to her starboard. Animal looked over to see the clouds she had pointed out and those clouds looked as though they were well on their way to developing into CBs, an aviator's nightmare. "This doesn't look good at all…"

"November Seven One Three Golf, Williamsport VOR, We're getting bounced around here. WX NOTAM didn't indicate developing cumulus. Update?" Animal's voice was calm and considering how much Maegyn flew with him on previous missions in combat, she knew when he went quiet, shit was going to start happening. And with the towering cumulus on their starboard, it was going to be a serious situation.

"November Seven One Three Golf, This is Williamsport VOR, be advised, WX NOTAMS indicate developing thunderstorm sixty miles east of your location." Was the reply from Williamsport VOR.

"Roger that, Williamsport VOR. If it gets too bumpy up here, we're radioing in for a divert."

"Roger that, November Seven One Three Golf, keep us advised." Williamsport VOR notified him.

_**Manassas Regional Airport, Manassas, VA**_

_**(AN: **__A long time ago, I took aviation ground school in preparation to attempt to get my pilot's license. This was in the years just after Top Gun came out and I wanted to fly for a living (which eventually didn't happen due to my vertigo at altitude – especially in open cockpit aircraft). The ground school instructors were extremely cognizant of factors that could affect airborne aircraft and CB (cumulonimbus) development was something that the instructors stressed that aviators should not play around with. The vertical wind-shear in these systems could rip apart a light aircraft and they have been responsible for aircraft fatalities in accidents. It is a wise aviator that states: DO NOT FLY IN CBs!_

"Manassas Tower, this is Stearman November 52513, touch and go…" Harm radioed as Lia marvelled at the power coming from the Lycoming R680-17 radial. Evidently this was what he enjoyed doing, Lia thought as she watched the horizon fall away as the Stearman scrambled for altitude after the touch and go. "Lia, I think we should put her down, I'm seeing some serious cloud development to our north east. It pretty much nixes our plans for the day."

"That's OK, better to be safe…" Lia replied, a bit disappointed, but she knew that caution was the order of the day with flying. She wasn't as familiar with Harm's flying skills but she knew that if he urged caution then that caution was necessary.

"Take a look over to the right…" Harm said as he pulled on the stick making the Stearman rise in the air passing six thousand feet… "Lia, those are altocumulus with development…that means that we're going to have a nasty thunderstorm coming in a few hours. I'm going to set her down for the day after this circuit. I don't think we'll be doing that trip today."

"That's OK, Harm." Lia replied as she looked over with unease at those dark clouds.

Harm's mind on the other hand was on his friends, they had taken off a lot earlier in a light aircraft bound for parts unknown; at least the destination wasn't something that Animal had disclosed to Harm. But Harm knew, looking at the clouds that Animal was heading into weather. Both Maegyn and Animal were two experienced naval aviators, but the limitations were not in their skill but with the aircraft that they were flying. The Piper Cherokee was a good enough airplane, but did not have enough engine power to power through any downdrafts and that aircraft could potentially have their wings ripped off by the wind-shear or put into the ground by downdrafts that could exceed two hundred miles per hour. "You know…Lia, I hope that Animal and Irish get to where they're going. At 120 knots, they're not going to be able to outrun that front coming in."

Completing the circuit, Harm put the Stearman on the runway and taxied her in. Upon putting the Stearman away, both Lia and Harm walked over to meteorology and asked for the latest WX NOTAM (weather notice to airmen). Getting handed the sheet, he looked at it:

112719980445Z SIGMET ACSL DVLP CB CVNTN WS CLG 65000 FLR 3500 OCFNT TRW PRESFR HAZ ICGIP IMC

His eyes widened as his eyes fixed on DVLP CB CVNTN and WS. Both those notations (developing cumulonimbus w/convection and windshear) stood out to him as an aviator. Animal and Maegyn were flying into a dangerous situation. He looked over at the meteorology attendant and asked. "Did the two who were flying in November Seven One Three Golf have this information or is this updated info?"

"It's updated in the past fifteen minutes."

"Shit!" Harm muttered slamming a fist into his open palm. "That means they don't know anything about the developing storm front, do they?" he looked over at Lia. "They're flying right into it at 120 knots." Harm knew the maximum speed of a Piper Cherokee.

"So what do we do?" Lia asked.

"Hope and pray…" That was all they could do.

_**Keeter's Room, Courtyard by Marriott Dunn Loring Fairfax 1200hrs**_

Jack groaned stretching his arms out in a yawn as he crossed the room from his comfy sofa as he answered the phone. "Keeter…" he answered.

"Yeah, it's Harm. Our buddy just went up in a Piper Cherokee with Irish…they're heading into an occluded front with thunderstorm development."

"Oh, shit…" Keeter muttered "Who told him to do that?"

"Nobody, he just opted to take Irish with him and they went up to do some flying. I think they were headed northward from the direction I could see his airplane going in." There was a long silence on the other end of the phone and Keeter scratched his head. "There's nothing we can do until after the storm is over. "I've got their flight plan, but it covers a lot of ground. Judging from what I can see…" Harm's voice sounded tense. "…they were doing a flight to Rochester then from there, they were heading to Maine and a trip down along the coast. And with the speed of the system moving in on them, the system will hit them in the side before they can take evasive. And there's nothing that we can do until we either know they arrived safely or a Mayday call comes in."

"Keep me on standby, Harm. As you said, there's nothing we can do until either one of those eventualities takes place." Keeter replied, looking in the mirror over the dresser and seeing the tense appearance on his own face. "I've flown into a CB and damn, Harm, you don't want to get into one of those. I lost six thousand feet of altitude in one second and the next I'm back up at forty-five, those wind-shears can plant a Piper into the ground in less than a second and you wouldn't know what hit ya."

"I know, Keeter." Harm sounded apprehensive on the other end of the line. "I'll keep you posted if I learn anything else."

_**Piper Cherokee N713G, 195 miles north of Manassas, 1200hrs. **_

The headwinds were killing Piper Cherokee November Seven One Three Golf. Having been blown off course, the tanks were three-quarters empty and Animal wasn't finding the range that he needed with the consumption of gas. Not to mention the wind-shear gusts that were coming in front of the rapidly increasing storm-front that appeared out of no-where was blowing him off-course over Sproule State Forest.

"I don't know but it looks like we may have to find an alternate landing strip to land this thing until the stormfront passes through." He informed Maegyn who was looking out with apprehension seeing a big wall of cumulonimbus developing not 30 miles to their starboard. One particularly hard gust of wind had blown Animal's aircraft to the side so hard, it almost seemed as though the control yoke was about to be ripped from their hands as the aircraft banked hard left. It was a fight to bring the Cherokee back on course.

"Animal, we need to get down…" Maegyn advised him.

"Yeah, I'm thinkin' the same. Maegyn…" Animal looked over at the AWR seeing a whole pile of green and red in a tao shape on the screen. "Oh, shit, that's a hook echo!" Animal said as they descended over Sproule Forest. "Maegyn…" he said, voice deceptively calm, "I need at least 1620 feet to land this thing." He looked over at the length.

"Can we make Elmira Corning on the gas we have?"

"No…we'll be on vapor."

"Look…we're coming over Renovo…There's a railyard there. It's long enough of a grass strip to hopefully manage to get the aircraft down. Watch the tree at the end of the strip. Hopefully we'll have bled off enough speed."

"If I have to take the tree…Our only other option is to ditch in the river and swim for it. " Animal replied heartfelt, "I'll take it on the port side. I'm going to drop flaps and slow to 66 knots airspeed, hopefully that'll take a lot of speed out of the aircraft and we'll be able to stop before we hit the tree. Mayday Mayday Mayday, November Seven One Three Golf, Emergency landing, train yard, Renovo, Pennsylvania!"

"Roger, November Seven One Three Golf, will notify Renovo emergency dispatch…" Elmira Coming Airport replied.

_**Renovo, Pennsylvania**_

"Derek!" Elsie Sommer looked out the window of 820 Erie Avenue as she heard what appeared to be a light airplane flying around. "Look out the front door and see if that's an airplane. 'Cause we don't have an airport nearby."

Derek Sommer walked out of the house onto Erie Avenue and saw a light aircraft making a few passes, "Elsie, I think that airplane is looking for a landing spot. It looks like he may be low on gas."

"Well, we don't have no aviation gas here…if he lands here he ain't gettin' out again, at least not through flyin'."

"That's for sure, Elsie; the train-yard is too small to take off from. I hear sirens…I think Citizen's Hose Company's been notified. I see the Ford truck comin' down Erie right now…"

_**Piper Cherokee N713G, Renovo, PA, on final**_

Animal was watching his airspeed as he descended towards the building that was right smack at the foot of what would be his landing spot. Setting up from the east, he flew a nice shallow approach coming in towards the building; he'd skim right over the trailer before he made his landing. Flying over Huron Avenue Bridge, he set up for landing. "Flaps down six degrees. Seventy-two knots, reducing airspeed to sixty-six…" he intoned as he concentrated on the landing. Over the trailer, and at sixteen feet off the ground, he cut throttles, effectively causing the aircraft to hit hard on the grass. The only thing that went through his mind was _hope there's no steel rails in the grass_ as the Piper went careening down the length of grass there was in the railway yard. Animal slammed on the brakes, jamming both feet on the pedals as the Piper Cherokee dug its right wheel into the soft grass at the very end, ground-looped and spun around to face the way it had come. Cutting the engine off, he sighed a very deep sigh, slumping into his seat. Both Maegyn and Animal took deep breaths and sighs of relief which were only broken by firefighters on their wing opening the door.

"Are you all right?" the lead firefighter asked. "Any injuries?"

"I don't think so…" Maegyn said. "Just a few years off our life though from fright."

"I'm going to have to tow this aircraft out of here…" sighed Animal as he looked over at Maegyn. "Thank God for that railway yard, or we would have had to ditch in the trees. Those clouds up there are thunderstorm loaded…we got blown off course by the wind and practically used up all our gas trying to get back on a proper heading…" he notified the fireman. "It looks like it's going to be a nasty one." The first droplets of rain started coming down…the crowd that had gathered looked over at the aircraft from the safety of Erie Avenue. Animal slowly unbuckled himself, from the seat. His knee had jammed hard against the bottom of the instrument panel and he winced as he stood up. He had on a Navy flight jacket with his wings, rank and name as did Maegyn. He reached up to grab Maegyn's hand as she jumped from the wing to the ground. They were luckily only bruised and the fire department and the ambulance paramedics checked them over to make sure that they were alright.

Animal thanked the paramedics and set about calling to set up a aircraft mechanic to come up to take apart the wings and set them on a flatbed to take the aircraft back to Manassas, VA. He looked pensively at his Piper Cherokee for a long moment. Then he looked over at Maegyn and said. "I'm sorry that this flight ended so abruptly. Can we still go out for dinner?"

Maegyn burst out laughing. "Tosh…sure…and after a landing like that you definitely owe me dinner."

_**Yesterday's Hotel and Restaurant, 141-143 3rd St., Renovo, PA**_

"So, you two are the two who landed that airplane on the railway yard?" the concierge grinned at Animal and Maegyn. Maegyn and Animal shrugged self-consciously and he nodded. "Most excitement we had around these parts anymore."

After getting their rooms, Animal looked over at Maegyn, "Well, we should call the motel and let them know that we may be a bit late coming back to get our things. Then we should call Harm. There's no car-rental place around here so we won't be able to rent a car to get out of here."

"And it's not such a good thing to get behind the wheel of a car after something like this…" Maegyn rendered an opinion to which Animal nodded – no, it wasn't a good idea to get in a car after such a shakeup like this. "I think we'd better call the hotel that our things are at and tell them we may be a little delayed."

"And then after that, I'd better call Harm. It's going to be almost a six hour drive from where he's at right now…to get up here."

After Maegyn used the hotel phone to call the hotel and make arrangements for their things to be placed into hotel storage, she handed the phone to him and whispered. "Oh, you are so going to brighten Harm's day." She chuckled softly as she headed for the washroom.

_**Manassas Regional Airport, Manassas, VA 1245hrs**_

Harm practically leapt on the cell-phone the second it started ringing. "Rabb!" he barked.

"Hey…" Harm breathed a sigh of relief that brought Lia's attention to him. "It's me…" Animal's voice was a relief to hear on the phone.

"I hear you, Animal." Harm replied as he looked over at Lia. "So…where are you? The WX NOTAMS indicated severe weather."

"I'm stuck in Renovo…got buffeted around too much in the air, didn't have enough gas to make it to an alternate strip and put down in a train-yard in Renovo."

"Shit." Harm replied. "So, you're calling because you need a ride?"

"Would be nice…"

Harm chuckled… "You know I'm not going to let you live this down…" he grinned at Lia as he spoke on the phone to Animal.

"Yeah…thanks…" Animal's voice sounded sarcastic.

"Where's your stuff at? I'll pick it up for you; and then you can owe me until we can square it up."

"Harm…"

"It's no problem." Harm insisted.

_**Yesterday's Hotel and Restaurant, 141-143 3rd St., Renovo, PA**_

"OK…Harm, thanks…" Animal nodded as Maegyn emerged from the washroom looking at him quizzically. He cupped the telephone. "Harm's going to go get our things from the hotel…and bring them up with him." Nodding. "OK…we'll expect you around 1330-1400 tomorrow. And Harm…thanks." Animal sighed in relief as he looked over at Maegyn as he hung up the phone. " Yeah, he's coming up to pick us up tomorrow between 1330 and 1400…"

"That's great. I guess we'll eat here and relax for the evening." Maegyn said. Animal nodded as he knew his credit card would be getting a workout. His shoulders and neck hurt from the violent ground-loop that they had experienced after landing and he just wanted to eat something and go to sleep. But he realized that he needed to contact his CO to let him know that he might be a little late into work on Monday due to the incident.

Dialing the personal phone number to his CO, he told the vice-admiral that he had been flying his personal aircraft and that there had been an incident that needed to be reported to the FAA, that he would more than likely have to miss the first part of the morning for FAA medical matters. Vice Admiral Donald Paszek notified him that it was alright. "Thank you, sir." Animal had said.

Then he notified the CNO about the incident, apologizing to the CNO about having to screw up their time schedule for investigations due to an unforeseen aviation incident. The CNO, in response, mentioned that the Army had been asking about airtime for hauling equipment practice. "Let 'em figure out how to get your airplane back to Manassas. Major General Hornick has been bugging me about some airtime for his Army National Guard helicopter crews and they could use some practice hauling around other things other than their steel turtles…" Admiral Kaczanowski had said. "I'll send someone from Fort Muir down to talk to you about it around 1000hrs tomorrow morning. They can touch down their Huey UH-1 and assess the situation. I'm sure we can get your Piper out of there inside of a week." Animal looked over at Maegyn with a surprised look. When the CNO finally let him go, he sat down on the couch in the suite with a stunned look on his face. He knew that he had to retrieve his aircraft, but he had thought he would have to get the aircraft completely disassembled to wings and fuselage, whereas the CNO had just solved his entire problem for him.

_**Yesterday's Hotel and Restaurant, 141-143 3rd St., Renovo, PA 1000hrs. **_

Animal ate bacon, hashbrowns and sausages for breakfast as he looked over the _Renovo Record_ at the latest news. Evidently his landing made the front page of the local paper. Yep, he was never going to live this one down from Harm. But he had a meeting with a Pennsylvania National Guard officer this morning at the site of the landing. So he quickly got his meal finished, picked up his US Navy ball-cap with the scrambled eggs on the brim, which he usually wore with his G-1, paid for his meal and headed out the door of the hotel. He could hear a Huey in the distance and as he rounded the corner of Erie, he could see the Huey UH-1 with Army National Guard painted on the side setting down about a hundred feet away from his Piper. Groaning, he saw Harm leaning against Animal's Camaro Iroc-Z grinning widely, Lieutenant Commander Liandra Gracen beside him – they were early….extremely early judging from the yawns, LCDR Gracen was giving off.

In the usual tricolor green-brown-black BDU, a captain ran up to Animal and saluted. Animal despite being in civilians clothes, saluted back to the amusement of the reporter from the Renovo paper. "Captain Nakamura, sir? Captain Richard Davies, sir. CAB/28 sir. General Hornick says that you have a training unit that needs to be hauled out of here. I'm here to assess the situation, sir and then we'll have an Ugly Banana out here to haul your bird out of here, back to Manassas."

The Renovo Record reporter asked Harm, "If he's a captain…" she gestured towards the Army captain, "…and the other guy is a captain?" she paused for a moment, confused, "…why's he saluting the guy? I thought they were of equal ranks."

"No…they aren't." Harm grinned, chuckling at the reporter. "The army captain is equivalent to a Navy lieutenant, notice the US Navy ball-cap the captain is wearing? In the Navy, a captain is equivalent to a US Army colonel."

After Animal had finished with Captain Davies who got back into the UH-1 and headed back to AAF Muir, he walked over to Harm and LCDR Gracen, "You're early." He grinned at the two of them and then glowered at Harm, "And…how the hell did you start my car?"

Harm lifted a key, "You kept a spare in your sea-bag – shipmate, and you know I knew just where to look for it." Harm looked way too smug for his own good, Animal decided. "Well, we decided to get the drive started early…so we took your room at the hotel; and another one for Lia and then got an early start this morning, like about 0430hrs this morning, the traffic was light so we managed to get out of Virginia quickly. We'll switch cars back when you and Maegyn get back to the motel. My Stingray can only seat two. Maegyn still at the hotel?" Animal nodded.

"The hotel owner didn't call the cops when she saw you peeling out of the driveway at 4:00 this morning in MY car?" Animal said as he took the keys from Harm and they got in.

"Nope, as far as I know. I think they were asleep." Harm replied without worry. Animal rolled his eyes.

"If I get stopped by police coming back to Manassas, you're going to be doing financial assessments for Fleet potato chip requisitioning orders for the next three months."

* * *

**_AN: _**

_Hi gonna nick pick little bit but no worries. Renovo was an interesting choice to land as just to the south is Lock Haven and Piper field where Animal's Cherokee was made and he most likely would had know that. It would had been Clinton County Emergency Services not Renovo and the primary fire department would had been Renovo Fire as Citizens is on the other side of the River (they would had been dispatched too.) And if they would had flown a little further north and east they would of ended up in Lycoming County and could had made the emergency landing at the old not in use anymore Black Forest "mountain" airstrip. And a Piper Cherokee flies on high octane auto gas, 100 octane is better but most people use auto fuel. Oh and back a ways you said Cessna only had taildraggers, not true most Cessna's are not tail draggers. A Cessna 150 or170 is a tail dragger while a 152 or 172 has nose gear. So yes I am from PA know the area am a volunteer firefighter and know about planes. My parents used to own a Stearman. _

_:Great story keepem flying. Muir is not a base it is just the name of the airfield at fort indiantown gap of the pa national guard. 28th aviation brigade_

_Reply__: I love reviews like this: Namely because it teaches me about the area and I appreciate it since I live clear on the other side of the continent (West Coast and north of the border) and a lot of my location research came from Google so, Matt, thank you. Considering I've seen a lot of Cessna 152s and 172s around at my local civil aviation airport, I should have remembered that – I can only admit writer error on that mistake. _

_I would have loved to have gotten my pilot's license but well…so it goes – vertigo and me didn't get along too well, especially since I ended up trying to get my "ultralight license"…that really got my vertigo going. Thanks to both of you for your reviews. Keep 'em coming.  
_


	16. Chapter 15

_**Animal's Camaro Iroc-Z turning onto 3**__**rd**__** Street, Renovo, PA 1035hrs**_

Animal looked over to see Harm grinning evilly at him. "What?" he grumbled.

"Nice ground-loop, Animal."

Animal growled under his breath as he came to a stop in front of the hotel to see a waiting Maegyn.

"With a little more rudder pedal it would have been a perfect circle…" Harm suppressed laughter.

"oh…shut up…"

"I used your credit card to pay for the accommodations…" Maegyn said, sliding into the car's rear seat beside Lia…they had very few possessions from the Piper Cherokee that were with them, it all fit into a small bag. "You just need to sign the credit card slip. Animal slipped out of the car and went inside the hotel to sign, then came back out."

Turning left onto 144, Animal growled. "Keep a look out for I-99 South. There should be a bridge ahead when we turn right."

"We might want to get something to eat when we get to Bedford. We might be a bit hungry by then." Lia opined. "There was a Long John Silver's on the way up…but we had to come get you and Commander O'Bannon."

Harm had an even bigger smug smile on his face…as he looked at the flying maps that Animal retrieved from his Piper as Animal silently drove. "You do remember that there was an alternate field within easy flying range a little north-east of where you finally landed? Maybe 5-10 minutes flying time tops…" Animal growled under his breath but remained silent. It was just too easy. The thunderstorm had knocked a few trees down – it was as NOAA had predicted a nasty one. But they had managed to be safe.

Maegyn grinned as Harm ribbed Animal about the ground-loop, but realized just how safely Animal had managed to land the aircraft regardless of the situation. It probably wasn't the best landing spot to pick but who made great decisions under stress with cumulonimbus bearing down on one's head. Maybe they should have gone a bit farther, but who would have said that the CBs bearing down on them would have given them the time to set up for a good solid landing on an airstrip that had proper navigation aids.

"I hear you're getting the Army to pull you out of the mess…" Harm said casually.

"Really want to push it, don't you?" Animal muttered caustically as he kept his eyes on the road deftly driving the Iroc Z down the winding road.

"Well…at least you're safe." Harm relented on ribbing Animal. "…course Army's gonna be talking about this for weeks." Animal just glowered silently.

_**Tim's All-American Café, Altoona, PA, 1215hrs**_

Animal pulled his car into parking space on the street in front of the café on Crawford in Altoona, PA. Tim's was a great little place to eat, all-American food with good prices. An old red brick house with stone foundation – it was what one would classify as a little nook like eatery, but the food there was excellent. Animal went for the 10 oz. Bacon Cheeseburger, Maegyn, the grilled chicken club sandwich, Lia, the Tim's Club Sandwich. Harm looked at them with absolute horror at all the meat being ordered. Harm ordered the large Garden Salad; all to go as they had to get back on the road as quickly as possible. When the order was brought out, the four trooped back out and managed to squeeze back into Animal's car where he laconically muttered. "I need to get a bigger car." It was about five minutes later, that Animal pulled back out onto Crawford and back onto I-99. Animal didn't care if they ate in the car, just so long as they utilized the time driving back to Manassas.

_**Olde Towne Inn, Manassas, VA 1530hrs**_

Animal with a sigh of relief pulled into the Inn and parked beside Harm's Corvette Stingray which was locked and still there. That was a definite relief to know that Harm's car was still alright and Animal shook Harm's hand as Harm and Lia got out of Animal's car. Animal went in to square things with the hotel clerk and Harm and made sure that the hotel clerk got the keys for the unit back again, then Maegyn and Animal sighed tiredly as they pulled back out for the trip back to Arlington, VA. And Harm and Lia did the same to get back to their respective homes. This was not the relaxing weekend of flying that they had intended, but at least they were safe, even if Animal's Piper Cherokee was worse for wear. Weather was not to be tangled with.

_**Animal's Apartment, 503-4141 Henderson Road, Arlington, VA 1645hrs**_

Animal and Maegyn staggered into their home tired and exhausted. It was almost five in the afternoon and all they wanted to do was crash, but considering that the last time that they had something to eat was noon, they opted for takeout.

Maegyn yawned widely, barely catching her yawn with the palm of her hand and said. "I hope they get here soon…'cause I'm about ready to fall asleep on my feet. Are you feeling OK, you were complaining about your neck being sore and your knees killing you from slamming your knees up against the instrument panel bottom."

"We were lucky we walked away without concussions, the way we spun around." Animal said as he looked over at Maegyn. "We could have knocked heads together and then we'd both be in the hospital getting looked over for brain injury."

"Well…it didn't happen." Maegyn said. "…and the minute you have a chance to do so, you need to get back on that horse again. It was a stressful landing, but we made it." She reached over and kissed him softly on the lips. "And I trusted you to get us down safely and you did…"

I'm going to get checked out at Bethesda tomorrow just so the FAA is satisfied, Captain Richards will be calling me to let me know what they're doing with the aircraft and they want me to oversee the hookup, so I have to go back to Renovo at some point this week. They're sending the Hook down to pick me up first." Pentagon had a helo pad.

"Oh…" Maegyn said just as the phone rang. "Must be the delivery guy." Maegyn said as she picked up the phone. "Hi, I'll open the door for you." She hit the door release at the main door. The awaited knock on the door came about five minutes later as the delivery boy stepped in the door and stood to the side while Animal fished in his wallet for some cash as well as a tip. The pizzas were left on the kitchen counter as Animal and Maegyn got plates and the delivery boy left after being paid. The first was a Athenian, minus the banana peppers, the second was a Chicken Carbonara and since both Animal and Maegyn were meat-eaters, they preferred anything that had meat in it provided that it wasn't too spicy.

As they sat down to eat, Maegyn looked over at Animal. "That was an impressive bit of flying…" she said.

Animal looked at her solemnly. "I boresighted, when we looked at the map there were three other alternate landing places that we could have chosen within range, yet I picked the one that was the smallest…and that I couldn't have gotten out of easily. And if we had impacted the tree at the end of the strip of grass there, we could have been killed. It was the soft turf that saved us and saved the Piper from extreme damage. I nearly got us killed, Maegyn." He said exhaling deeply.

"Sweet, don't start second-guessing yourself. You made a decision with very little to go on…after the fact. You knew that we had to get down. How do you know that if you had pushed on, we wouldn't have encountered a downdraft on final approach that would have planted us into the ground." Maegyn reached over to caress his arm reassuringly. "You did what you could with the knowledge that you had which wasn't much to go on. Did you have the WX NOTAM that Harm got updated? And you had the foresight beforehand to equip your Piper with an ABR, that's an expensive little bit of equipment, but it saved our lives out there…"

Animal looked at her with amazement on his face. "You are going to talk me out of blaming myself for the mess I got us into, aren't you?"

"Every single time, lover…" Maegyn replied as she gave him a kiss. "Think I'm getting the hang of it?"

"Too damned good at it…" Animal laughed but subsided as quickly as he had started. "Honestly…though I wonder if I still have it…" He glanced soberly out the window.

"Don't you dare…" Maegyn said vehemently. "Don't you dare start thinking that your skills aren't up to the par. You showed you still had what it takes to be a damned good aviator, even though the Navy doesn't put you up in fast jets any more. You got us down and we walked away from the landing. That zoomie Chuck Yeager said. _If you can walk away from a landing, it's a good landing._ So don't you think you're going to hang those wings up! Do you hear me, Tosh?"

Through this rant, Animal's jaw had dropped open…his eyes wide with amazement…listening to Maegyn's vehement tirade.

"WHAT!?" Maegyn snarled when she noticed Animal's look.

"Do you know how sexy you look when you're pissed off?" Animal said as Maegyn closed the lid on the half eaten pizza box and belted him over the top of the head with it. "OW…" he grinned.

"Are you listening to a word I said?"

_**Liandra's Apartment, 614-2475 Virginia Avenue, Georgetown, Washington DC**_

Harm had gone home for the evening after dropping her off at her home. Tomorrow she would be back at JAG after a week away. It wasn't that long of a time, but it felt like a lifetime. Sitting down at her desk, she looked over at the cases that she would be taking over from Harm, he had managed to close out most of them except for three, so it wasn't that much more of a burden than usual, however she didn't know what the admiral would be tossing onto her plate.

She was apprehensive of the new socio-dynamics in the office; in a week the whole structure of the office had changed. What if she couldn't get along with the new attorneys in the office? There was a new lieutenant commander there, but she was replacing Harm. And there were supposed to be three new officers coming in over the next few weeks, but until then, the office would be short-staffed and thus the workload would effectively double for the short-term until they could hand over the cases to the replacements. Getting up from her desk and walking out into the kitchen, she pulled the Folgers can out of the freezer section of the fridge (where she kept it cold) and made herself an evening cup of coffee. She'd be up late tonight working on several cases which were to be going to court this week and making sense of Harm's defense or prosecution on whatever cases were there. After the flight on the Stearman, the buckling back down to study the cases was a let-down, but her foray into the world of aviation had ended for the time being – she had to go back to the world of legal folders and motions. But for a short time, Harm had managed to bring her into his world and if she admitted to herself, she like it.

Grabbing a cup of coffee, five creams, five sugars, returning to her office, she sat down, placed her coffee on the desk on top of a cup pad, picked up a legal pad and a pen and started writing strategy as she looked over the files. At 0030hrs, she stood up, yawned, walked into the bedroom, pulled off her clothes, slipped on a silk negligee. Setting the alarm for 0530hrs, she slipped under the covers, curled up with a pillow and went to sleep.

_**Harm's Apartment, North of Union Station, Washington, DC 0530hrs**_

Harm groaned audibly as he eyeballed the clock with a dark malevolence as it relentlessly blinked 0530 at him. On a Lieutenant Commander's salary, he couldn't knock the thing off the night table and bounce it off the wall. The replacement cost of that CD player alarm clock would impact his wallet too severely, and thus Harm uttered caustic curses that would have made his Grandma Sarah knock him on the back of the head so hard his teeth would rattle. "You're lucky I can't reach my M9" he warned the clock darkly as it blinked another ten times exhibiting as much cheek as an inanimate object could.

Stripping his t-shirt and underwear, he walked into the shower. About ten minutes later he walked out, freshly showered and toweling himself off. Grabbing a fresh pair of underwear and a white t-shirt from the dresser, he dressed quickly, and then grabbed a fresh set of service blues from the closet. It was now 0540 and he had a moment to prepare himself a quick cup of coffee before he had to exit the door to go to his new place of employment.

_The Pentagon_ he thought to himself. It was quite a step up to become a Staff JAG as a lieutenant commander. It put him squarely in the cross-hairs for O-5 promotion board consideration and he would like nothing more than to be deep-selected for commander. Lia would also be in the same zone for promotion and he smiled to himself as he thought of the potential for them to be selected at the same time. Enough pontificating, he admonished himself as he got up, picked up his cover and his briefcase and walked over to the door, stepping through it, closing it behind him and turning to lock the door. From there he proceeded down to the Corvette which was sitting in its usual spot. Considering he had to drive from 4th Street NE and down to the Pentagon which was a thirty-five minute drive that if the traffic went alright; he'd be there at about 0610hrs. Grinning, he started the car and his morning commute.

_**Bethesda Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, MD. 0630hrs**_

"We'll get that report into the FAA, Captain." Captain Peter Rutherford, USN Medical Corps, grinned at Animal. "I'm sure that it should suffice, though the feelings of guilt on having put your friend in a potentially life-threatening position is an indication that there is some emotional trauma from the incident." So I'm going to have you see a Navy psychiatrist, just briefly so that you can talk out some of the concerns that you're having."

"Is this going to go on my record, Doc?" Animal glowered at him.

Dr. Rutherford shook his head. "What you're feeling is a bit of guilt that you put yourself in a position that could have potentially turned out a lot worse than it did, but through skill and determination, you managed to get through safely. It's just the cognitive dissonance that we're working out. Nothing that should affect your career since we're not even going to make mention of it." Handing a referral slip to Animal who examined it briefly and then stood up, shook hands with the doctor and left.

Striding down the hall, he noted the psychiatry wing and stepped through the doors to the reception area. Noticing several uniformed Army soldiers, an Air Force Technical Sergeant, and a Master Chief sitting in the reception chairs, he quietly made his way to the counter. When he turned around he found all of them out of their chairs, stiffly standing at attention in deference to his rank. He sighed. "As you were…"

…as the bemused Navy Chief behind the reception counter smiled. "What can I do for you, Captain."

Animal muttered. "I need to see someone…" and shoved the referral slip across the counter. If the situation couldn't get more uncomfortable.

The head nurse for the Psychiatry division smiled gently and said. "OK…sir, I will make sure that someone will see you immediately." She replied as she noted the entry into the database. About ten minutes later a female lieutenant commander stepped into the reception area, acorns on her service blue sleeves. "Captain Nakamura?" she asked. "Hi, I'm Lieutenant Commander Jordan Parker."

"Lieutenant Commander." Animal acknowledged her presence as he got up out of the chair.

"If you'll come this way…" Dr. Parker gestured him forward as she would direct him to her office and let him enter her office on his own terms. "Please have a seat…sir." She stated as she sat in her own office chair. "A few things before we start. In my office, we have no ranks, it's the only way that I can help you. We have to be frank and truthful with each other. In return I do not disclose what I hear in this office to anyone unless there is an indication of self-harm or a potential danger or life-threat to others. Is that fine with you?" Animal nodded and she continued. "What can I do for you today?"

"Well, it seems like I had an aviation accident over the weekend in a civilian aircraft…" Animal started slowly. "…my own…" he clarified. "I put myself in an untenable situation…and had to make an emergency landing because of inclement weather."

"…and…this caused you to feel guilty?" Dr. Parker prompted, her assessment of the captain was that he was feeling guilty about the situation and she wanted to know more about why he was feeling that way.

"I put a friend in extreme danger because of the situation. We wanted to fly to Rochester; do a cross-region flight from there to Maine and then back to Manassas. I pushed the envelope…" the term caused Dr. Parker some confusion. "I mean…the parameters of safe flight." He explained. "…and put us in a position that could have caused us to auger in…uh…crash."

"And you said this weather…was what caused the dangerous situation?" Dr. Parker asked. Talking the situation out helped patients to realize just exactly where they should assign the blame if any was to be assessed. "Do you feel that you had complete knowledge of what the weather conditions were? Were you able to foresee this situation developing?"

Animal looked confused. "uh…no…I could only see what was on my AWR; my airborne weather radar on my aircraft. I saw the thunderstorms develop as we flew. But nothing indicated that they would become as severe as they did. We started experiencing heavy winds that blew my aircraft around in the air like a kite in a windstorm. The wind-shear in a thunderstorm is severe enough that it can rip an aircraft apart and I didn't know exactly how fast the thunderstorm was developing. I saw one hook echo on the radar and opted that I needed to get the aircraft down as fast as possible." Noticing Dr. Parker's questioning look as to what a _hook echo_ was, he elaborated. "A hook echo is when the thunderstorm is producing rotation in its mass. In layman's terms, it means that it is potentially producing a tornado."

"Most humans aren't prescient as to developing events, we only go on the information that we are given and make a judgement call as necessary. As far as what you had to go on, you said that you only had your airborne weather radar and what information you had before you took off to go on. You used your eyes to determine what the weather was like and what you could see happening in front of you on the radar. And you stated that the storm was severe enough to produce a tornado. In my view that rates that storm as severe. Do you feel that you made the right decision to put the aircraft down where you did?"

"I don't know…" Animal replied.

"The result was that you and your friend got down safely, or you wouldn't be here talking to me." Dr. Parker smiled. "So your skills must have been up to the task to get you down safely, which tells me that you are a good aviator, who is careful and knows his limitations. If you weren't you would have pushed on instead of trying to find the nearest possible landing site. You would have risked flying into that developing tornado and quite possibly have caused a fatal accident because your aircraft would have been ripped apart. In my assessment, you did what you thought you had to do with the information that you had been given by your radar and you did what you could to bring your aircraft down safely. Does your friend resent you for putting her in that position? I'm assuming here, mind you, that your friend is a she…"

"Uh…um…yes…you are correct. And no, in fact she was trying to talk to me about making sure that I wasn't feeling guilty and she pretty much said the same things you did." Animal said. "She's an aviator herself."

"So, she is aware of the same situation because she is an experienced aviator herself. And I'm sure that she knows that the situation would be the same if she was the pilot and you were the co-pilot. What does she usually fly?"

"She flies the F-14 Tomcat…" Animal said. "That's her day job. We were flying for recreation when that happened."

"I noticed the Naval Aviator insignia on your uniform; do you fly for the Navy too?"

"Not any more… Used to fly F-14s too until they pulled me off flight duty when I…" he snorted self-deprecatingly. "…became what they called a _hero_." He spat the last word out as if it was distasteful. "They won't let me get near a fast jet any more, because I'm evidently more valuable to the Navy as a show-piece than as a Naval Aviator." At this Dr. Parker raised her eyebrows. Evidently there was something more in this than the usual guilt feelings. There was a lot of bitterness underneath the surface; bitterness and longing. Was there nothing that the Navy could do that would allow him back in the cockpit again, something other than flying combat? To Jordan it seemed that it was an absolute waste of $2M dollars of flight training to sideline a perfectly competent naval aviator. "…and considering my questionable decision-making after this weekend, I doubt they'd let me get near another Navy fast jet."

"I don't think that was questionable. Considering the rapid development of the storm, you did what you had to do…and that was to get the aircraft down safe and secure so that you and your friend could live to fly another day. Now. Captain Nakamura…" she said reverting to the formality of Navy decorum, "This session is drawing to a close, but I'd like to see you again for another session next week. I believe that we have some things to work out with regards to your grounding after your Medal of Honor." She said indicating the topmost ribbon on his rack. "I believe there are a lot of unresolved issues there behind it. So if you're in agreement, I'll see you next Monday at 0630 again." She handed him her card with the appointment time on the back.

"Thank you, Lieutenant Commander." Animal looked at her. He was wary of having to see a shrink on a regular basis, but the Lieutenant Commander looked like a squared away naval officer. What could hurt? Perhaps maybe he might be able to finally put the harsh reality of not being able to fly Navy jets away and make peace with himself. He had lived with not being able to fly Navy jets for at least a year now after his ceremony. And each time he saw a Tomcat or a Hornet take off, it felt like dagger through the heart. And perhaps now, he could put that to rest with talking about it rather than cocooning it close to his heart.

_**JAG HQ, Falls Church, VA, 0700hrs**_

Lia walked through the doors of the Judge Advocate General Corps office to greetings from Harriet and Bud. The office looked rather empty without Major Mackenzie, Harm, Imes and Mattoni present. One new blonde lieutenant commander was present in her own office as she walked towards her own office. That officer looked up and waved. The quintessential pretty blonde-haired blue eyed tomboy type, Lia thought as she continued towards her office with a casual wave. As she put her briefcase down on the table, she heard a light Texas twang. "Hi, I'm Meg…" right behind her. She turned around to see the pretty blonde lieutenant commander standing there at the door to her office. "You must be Lieutenant Commander Liandra Gracen. Harm told me about you…"

_**Office of the Naval Inspector General, Pentagon Detachment 0815hrs**_

Animal came through the door at exactly 0830hrs to see Harm and Tracy standing there greeting him. "As you were…" he said. "So…how's this aviator working out?" Animal grinned at Tracy.

"Well, sir, he's a smart one…" She said in as broad a Virginia accent as she could manage which got Harm laughing self-deprecatingly.

"Good, I thought you might have to give him a prod with a horsewhip." Animal said.


	17. Amare Interruptus

_**Author's Note:**__ As it turns out I will not be able to get my replacement computer for a while. So I am stuck using my wife's desktop. But considering that she has a 34" TV for a monitor, this blind ol' bat (meaning **ME - I refer to my wife as "**_**young and attractive**_**"**) can see now, so I'm ever grateful. So the updates to my stories will be spotty at best. Please bear with me while I get this situation straightened out. _

_**Author Warning: **__The first part of it would be considered PG-13 – some nudity…and implied blatant s**. I'd suggest that if you're under-age read the next chapter. _

_**Animal's Home, 503-4141 Henderson Road, Arlington VA, 1830hrs**_

Animal walked through the door of his home exhausted and hungry, Maegyn on his heels. The afternoon sunlight streamed through the windows to fall upon the cushions of the sofa in the living room, which helped to warm them up nicely. The sofa was cowhide leather dyed black and it was beaten up just enough to look presentable, yet comfortable.

Maegyn letting out a deep sigh of relief, dropped bonelessly onto the cushions and grinned at Animal. "Man, I'm so tired…" she groaned as she looked over at him with a sideways glance. Maegyn silently assessed her long-time friend, former squadron-mate and casual current lover. She had greatly appreciated that he was willing to consider the idea of taking their relationship farther than they had previously thought would be possible. Nervous about broaching the subject again after the trauma that they had gone through the previous weekend, she tentatively ran her hand through her hair before opening her mouth to speak, "You remember that talk we had before we went up to Manassas to go flying?" she ventured cautiously.

Animal peered back at her as he casually came over to sit down beside her on the couch. "I think so" he said briefly looking at Maegyn with curiosity visible in his eyes.

Maegyn reached out a hand to take his right as he gave her a questioning look. "I have one more tour as a squadron commander and then I'm going to put in for a staff position." Animal nodded in response; he sensed that Maegyn had more to say. "I've given serious thought to my plans after flying." She paused looking for assurance as she squeezed Animal's hand she held and reached her other out to him which he took in his other hand, caressing her palm while she weighed the next thing that she was going to say in her mind. "I…it…involves a…well…a serious commitment…to, um, starting a relationship…" she stammered as she fought to get the words out clearly. She smirked as Animal raised his eyebrows questioningly. "You seem surprised…"

"Well…I am…a little bit…" Animal stated, rather taken aback at her candor.

"Didn't think I was the _settling down_ type?" Maegyn asked peevishly while she shot him an affronted look. "Proved you wrong; didn't I?" She leaned into Animal's embrace and tilted her head up inviting him to kiss her softly on the lips. She leaned into his embrace as he pulled her towards him. Licking his lips with the tip of her tongue, she started loosening his tie, which she grasped in one hand, pulling the knot loose to slide the tie off his white shirt.

"Um…" Animal playfully asked. "What are you doing?"

"Showing you what life with me around will be like…" Maegyn purred, her voice low; husky with desire. Animal's eyes widened as Maegyn started unbuttoning his shirt one button at a time, showering kisses on his cheeks, his lips and neck. When she undid the final button of his uniform shirt, she tugged it out of the restraint of his still tied belt. When the shirt was off, she tossed it carelessly over the top of his armchair with a casual flip of the wrist then still bestowing kisses to his face, she hooked her fingers over the top of his belt pulling him towards her. Animal was now groaning with pent-up carnal frustration as he restrained himself admirably from stripping himself, pulling off Maegyn's clothes and just ravishing her. He inferred from her deliberate actions that she wanted a slow tender love-making pace tonight and Animal was more than willing to let Maegyn set the pace as she knew what she wanted and all Animal wanted to do was to please her. Maegyn wordlessly unbuckled his belt, tugging on the buckle to pull it through the loops then impatiently tugged at the dress pants to leave them pooled on the floor.

"Oh God…Maegyn." Animal groaned as Maegyn nipped him lightly on the bottom lip as she lifted his white t-shirt over his head, leaving him bare-chested.

"Mmmm…muscular…" she murmured knowingly as she ran a light fingered touch along his chest making him shiver in response. Maegyn knew that Animal kept his body in shape, dedicatedly going to the gym, in hopes that he would be able to somehow find his way back into a cockpit, though she knew that Animal knew his hopes of flying a military aircraft again grew dimmer and dimmer with each passing year. He had been a dedicated gym-rat going two hours every day to lift weights and evidently from the toned body that she gazed upon, he had kept up that regimen. But she appreciated the fact that he kept his body in peak physical condition, and she admired the way his muscles rippled in the afternoon sunlight that came through the slits of the now drawn venetian blinds which she had closed in the brief moment between taking his shirt off and stripping him of his pants to leave him in briefs. Maegyn smiled, appreciating her lover's toned physique as she divested him of that undergarment leaving him open to display his dishabille.

"Strip for me…" Animal groaned in agony of denial as Maegyn's fingers moved southward temptingly delaying the act of coitus for her own satisfaction.

"In a moment…lover…" she purred softly kneeling down on her knees as she grasped her lover's manhood with a tender caress, leaning in closer…licking her lips…in anticipation…

_**Animal's Home, 503-4141 Henderson Road, Arlington VA, 1845hrs**_

Harm stood outside the door of Animal's apartment; hand raised mid-knock. "His car's home…" Harm stated to no-one in particular, wondering if his own mental state was OK; considering he was talking to himself. Finally he said to himself. "OK…I really do need to talk to him about Lia…" He had known Animal as a friend for a long time and two friends at loggerheads, especially considering Lia was someone that he wanted to get to know on a deeper basis. He really wanted Animal and Lia to get along, because he sure as hell didn't want his girlfriend to hate Animal. Because that would just make things really strained.

_**Animal's Home, 503-4141 Henderson Road, Arlington VA, 1850hrs**_

Maegyn had just leaned her head down…towards Animal…when the knock on the door startled her enough that she nipped him one…which caused Animal to yip in pain. Apologizing profusely, she stood up, alarmed, ensuring that she hadn't damaged him severely enough that he couldn't function, once she got that son-of-a bitch who had knocked on the door and pitched him head-first off the balcony. Animal had his eyes tightly shut, her teeth having grazed him rather painfully, when the knock had come, was bent in a fetal position on the couch in actual agony. Luckily, Animal hadn't divested her of HER clothes yet, so she was still clothed in her uniform. Animal on the other hand…was not so dressed for company. She quickly whipped into Animal's bedroom to grab a bathrobe to cover him as well as a blanket off the bed. Tossing the bathrobe to the still curled up in fetal position Animal and draping the blanket over him to cover him. She went over to the door just as another round of insistent knocking came from the door. Opening it, she noticed Harm standing there looking at the uniform articles of clothing littered hap-hazard all over the floor of Animal's living room.

"Uh…Hi…Irish…was I interrupting anything?" Harm asked looking past Maegyn's shoulder to indicate the clothing on the floor. Maegyn's flush of embarrassment kind of gave him an idea of what the quivering lump under the blanket was all about.

"Oh…geez…" Harm cringed shaking his head. This was something he didn't want to know about Irish and Animal. No bloody way! He swore he'd need eye-bleach to get this out of his mind.

"Yeah…" Maegyn growled with no small amount of snark. A groan of pain from underneath the blanket. "Do you mind going into the washroom and staying there until I can get him dressed again?" she asked pointedly, rather annoyed that their moment of intimacy was ruined by Harm intruding.

Harm mentally filed that under the category of _too much information_ and rapidly retreated without commenting to the washroom…swearing that he would shut the door and lock it so that he could get the implied image of a naked Animal out of his mind. He wished that he could replace it with the naked image of someone he wanted to get to know better – Lia for that matter.

Harm swore to himself that the next time, he'd phone first.

_**Author's note:**_ Sorry about the short little interlude. I'm just letting you know that I'm still here…but this computer situation isn't making me very happy.


	18. Chapter 16

_**Author's Note: **__After painstakingly writing this out on my iPhone on Pages, I used my wife's computer to transfer that into Word and subsequently onto . After all that effort…I'm hoping that I'll see reviews – lots of them? …please? For further note, there is no Naval Station Three Rivers in Oakville, Wisconsin, I made that up; just like a lot of squadrons and locations were made up on the JAG TV show. It allows me a little more freedom when I "can't get to the computer to research." And Safari is acting up on my iPhone (keeps wanting to reload)._

* * *

_**Animal's Home, 503-4141 Henderson Road, Arlington,VA 1905hrs**_

The audible closing of the bathroom door and the subsequent click of the locking mechanism enabled Maegyn to be able to coax Animal into a clothed state. To her relief, Harm was as good as his word and did not venture out of the bathroom until she gave him the all clear. Harm looked very reluctant to leave the bathroom and uttered a deep sigh of relief when he found Animal fully clothed in sweat pants and a US Naval Aviation t-shirt.

Harm looked at Animal and muttered "remind me never to drop-by without phoning to make sure the two of you are decent; right now it's going to take gallons of memory bleach to wash away the mental image of you completely naked doing god knows what under the blanket..." He shuddered

Animal growled under his breath but opted to remain silent. It was embarrassing enough and he didn't want to give Harm any more ammunition. Maegyn glared at Harm in pique: the erotic atmosphere that would have been a prelude to a great evening had been totally disrupted. When she couldn't stew in silence any longer she snapped at Harm. "Couldn't this have waited until some other time?!" She asked irritably.

Harm chewed on his words carefully noting that Irish was pretty pissed off. Her green eyes positioned above a scowling mouth appeared to definitely be angry and it wasn't a "green for go" traffic signal". If they were lasers he would have been charred to a crisp. He knew that red-heads had a tendency to have a fiery temper, especially when embarrassed, and if he didn't tread those waters carefully, there was a good chance he could get eviscerated by her, more than likely with a dull spoon before emasculation via vasectomy with a rusty fork. He wondered if he should impart the knowledge he'd gained over the course of his dating life to his older but not so dating experienced friend but then opted against it. The fireworks would probably be phenomenal to watch but would immolate him as well. "My apologies. I know it could have probably waited, but I didn't want to bring personal business into the workplace, which was the only other place that I could have approached Animal." He paused, his gaze taking in both Animal and Irish. "I'd rather leave my personal life at home…so I opted to come here to talk with you."

"And what do I have to do with your personal life?" Animal growled; not connecting the dots to what was being inferred so casually. He wasn't the most patient person in the world and Harm's bush-beating was starting to piss him off. So Harm was batting two for two in pissing people off.

"Cut to the chase!" Maegyn snapped; her patience was rapidly disappearing. "Quit hemming n'haw'ing!" she continued fixing him with a glare that could melt steel.

"It's about Lia…"

Animal and Maegyn looked at each other. "…what?" Harm looking at Animal's face, knew that Animal had no clue as to what he was getting at.

Maegyn didn't either. "What about Lieutenant Commander Gracen?" she asked.

"I'm thinking about asking her if we can commit to a dating relationship…" Harm admitted.

"Good for you, pal…I'm happy for you. If that's all you wanted to tell me…" Animal got out of his seat and was about to usher Harm to the door so that Maegyn and he could get back to some semblance of intimacy when Harm shook his head and…

Said, "Wait…there's something else."

Maegyn face-palmed, shaking her head while Animal snarled irritatedly, "WHAT?!" Harm gulped seeing the rather irritated thunderhead on his friends' faces. "I'm not her dad; I'm not going to give you MY blessing to date her. You want a blessing to go hanky-panky with her, go and talk to her family." Animal growled.

"You know how you and LCDR Gracen couldn't stand each other during the evaluation of the Judge Advocate General office by NAVINSGEN?" Harm said quickly seeing as how Animal and Maegyn were stewing silently due to the continued interruption of their intimate time.

"Uh, huh?" Animal looked at him with an irritated expression that bode ill for Harm if he kept on dragging his feet.

"Well, I don't want to have the two of you at each other's throat if I choose to date her on a regular basis." Harm stated, a challenge in his eyes. "…outside of the office that is…where rank structures don't have any meaning." Maegyn was looking at Animal as if to query what all that was about because she didn't get what the animosity between Animal and LCDR Gracen was all about.

"Look, Harm…" Animal said, letting out a big sigh. "As far as I know, all the animosity was coming from the lieutenant commander. I was just doing my job when it came to that investigation."

"Well, unfortunately, she seems to have it in her mind that you had it out for RADM Chegwidden; that you had a personal vendetta against him."

Animal was a little hurt and more than a little outraged. "What the hell?"

"Look, Animal, I tried to dissuade her of that line of thinking, but she seems to think that the admiral's firing was your fault and it's going to be a hell of a long time before she's going to think otherwise."

Animal shrugged his shoulders, "Well…there's nothing I can do about it." He said perfunctorily, almost dismissively as if to not take Lia's position into account. "So what do you want me to say? That I'm going to care about someone else's opinion, that her opinion runs counter to what I was supposed to do as a Naval Inspector General?" His eyes narrowed as he stated to Harm, a little colder than what was needed, "Harm, I'm not going to make apologies for doing my job." Maegyn was wondering what was going on and she thought to herself that she needed to talk to Animal after this interruption was over.

"Yeah, I know." Harm said. "But it also means that I have to straddle the fence between two friends who are fighting."

"Who says we're fighting. I have an opinion which I feel is the right one…and your girlfriend appears to have another opinion counter from mine. That doesn't mean we're fighting."

"Well, you can say what you want, Animal, but I'm starting to get frostbite from both you and Lia when it comes to the other." Harm said.

"Well, that can't be helped; can it?" Animal looked at Harm with a shake of his head in frustration. Really, he didn't understand what LCDR Gracen's animosity towards him was all about and he really didn't have the patience to delve in-depth into it. He looked over at Maegyn who's only experience with the lieutenant commander was a rather frosty goodbye as LCDR Gracen left for the day. Hell, Animal didn't enjoy being used for a shooting target regardless of what ammunition was used whether it was live rounds from a weapon or verbal rounds from what he considered a sixteen incher mouth that would be comparable to the weaponry on a Missouri class battleship. Either way his only assured method for survival would be to take cover. He sighed tiredly wondering how long this would take. "Frankly, Harm. I don't give a flying shit who you date. It really is none of my business." The statement was punctuated by another tired sigh.

Harm exulted internally but he still wasn't entirely sure of Animal's view of the whole matter. "So..." He weighed a measured gaze on his friend. "You won't happen to have any objections if I happen to bring her to a NAVINSGEN function and you won't growl if you happen to see her at one of our leisure activities?" Animal looked slightly confused at the term leisure activity so Harm explained further... "I mean...at a picnic or at any function the soon-to-be Mr. and Mrs. Roberts happen to have."

Incensed at being treated like some recalcitrant two-year-old Animal exploded with a "Jesus Christ! Harm! What the goddamn fucking part of I don't give a fucking sour owl shit didn't register on your braincells?!" Animal shook his head as he aimed a death-stare at Harm whereas Maegyn was torn between whether to be irritated and pitch Harm out the fifth-story window head-first or collapse on the couch in hysterical laughter. It appeared to her that Harm was trying his best to thoroughly dot i's and cross t's but all it was doing was boring the shit out of Animal and making him crabby. Harm, in Maegyn's opinion was dragging things out needlessly and she was certain that Animal had made it perfectly clear where he stood as far as his opinion was concerned on the erstwhile Lieutenant Commander Gracen. And frankly put; Harm was starting to become an irritating nuisance.

"Just making sure you understand all the ramifications of my dating Lieutenant Commander Gracen would be. Animal." Harm said almost too smugly. "Because I really don't want this to affect our friendship." He explained, hoping his friend would understand the meaning.

Maegyn, irritable, grumbled acidly, "...like tonight didn't affect our friendship." She arched an eyebrow meaningfully at the clothes still scattered on the floor causing Harm to wince. "yeah, phone is a very useful device, Hammer. You really need to learn to use it!" She commented sarcastically.

Harm winced as Maegyn's verbal shot hit home; right on the mark amidst the embarrassment elicited by Animal's resultant snicker. If he'd been only a few moments later he would have caught them on the couch in a passionate clinch in flagrante delicto, which would have been embarrassing for Animal and Maegyn and provided an unwanted image in Harm's mind that would have taken more than a lifetime of mental bleach to remove.

_**Liandra's Apartment, 614-2475 Virginia Avenue, Georgetown, Washington DC, 1925 hrs**_

At the same moment of the trio's conversing, the subject of their conversation was engrossed in a case file at home, her thoughts intent on the case that she was assigned to cover which would entail a investigation to Norfolk, which was only a day trip. Over the past three days which she had been back at JAG, she had been pondering on Harm and the course of their friendship. Knowing that Harm and she would require a few days to really settle into their positions again, she had buried herself in her work refraining from picking up the phone to call Harm.

With Harm transferring to NAVINSGEN and Mac shuffling off to RLSO San Diego, there was a lot of upheaval in the office. She smiled grimly to herself. The new dynamic in the office was going to take a lot of getting used to.

Her new partner was eager to dive into the cases to show her mettle and Lia, being the more experienced and senior attorney had to rein her in a bit albeit done professionally and not antagonistically. Lia saw Meg as a challenge, to mold her into a "no-holds barred; take no prisoners" attorney in the mold of Harm, yet flexible enough to figure out a different strategy when the case dictated it. Meg, having been in Japan, had seen a few cases but not to the extent that either Harm or Lia had experienced and Lia planned to leave RADM Morris with a damned good attorney before she made the jump to judiciary. It still tugged at her painfully to see RADM Morris in the familiar office she had been in so many times before. To not see her mentor was jarring. It had meant a lot that RADM Chegwidden had taken the time to advise her on her career steps and the knowledge that he would no longer be there to offer her counsel rankled.

Her cell-phone vibrated on her desk in her office, "Gracen!" She answered perfunctorily, hoping that it was Harm.

"Hi, Lia…" Meg's voice emanated from the receiver. "You ready for that four and a half hour drive down to Norfolk tomorrow?"

"Yeah…" Lia responded as she gave the receiver a gloomy look. "You've researched case file so that we know just what we're dealing with? Because I've got the case file open on my desk right now." She casually looked over at the file regarding a Boatswain's Mate 2nd that was on charge for dereliction of duty. Article 92 - Failure to Obey Order or Regulation was the official term for it, Lia thought to herself. And a further charge of Article 89—Disrespect toward a superior commissioned officer – plainly put, Lia pondered that telling a superior commissioned officer that he had the braincells of a sea cucumber and to promptly go _fuck himself_ was not the proper manner of discourse between junior non-comm and senior commissioned officer.

"Yeah, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Meg replied.

"Articles 89 and 92 for starters." Lia stated as she chuckled under her breath. "You come up with that too? Because I'm also waiting until we interview before we even think of charging anything else to that rap-sheet."

"Who was the officer?" Meg asked.

"Lieutenant Robert Wiggins." Lia stated, paused for a brief moment and then said, "I want to interview who ever was on that liberty boat that was inbound to the USS Tuxpan."

"Tuxpan?" Meg inquired curiously – there were a number of US Navy destroyers, but the Tuxpan wasn't one that she had heard of before.

"The battle of Tuxpan was from the Mexican-American War: the First Battle of Tuxpan was the only major battle fought during the Mexican-American War at Tuxpan, Mexico. It was also a decisive victory for Commodore Matthew Perry which altered the course of the Mexican-American War. He utilized his squadron of ships to blockade the eastern Mexican ports and then shelled the hell out of the Mexican artillery batteries." Lia informed her showing her major in military history. "The DDG-962 USS Tuxpan was named after the battle which America won. She's stationed out of Norfolk and is a part of US Second Fleet. She was assigned to Joint Task Force 120 which is set to leave for the Persian Gulf when the matter involving this case went down. The CO opted to beach the BN2 and leave without him. He will render his testimony by closed circuit television during the court case…"

Meg was silent for a long moment as Lia went over the reasons why she wanted to interview the other sailors on the liberty boat where it was alleged the incident took place and Meg knew that it wouldn't be good to go into the investigation with a closed mind to other eventualities. After all, RADM Morris intended to make certain that the investigative team uncovered every bit of evidence as fairly and impartially as possible. Lia was heading for the judiciary and the admiral wanted to make sure that he had chosen a potential judge that wouldn't pigeonhole an accused if he was innocent or vice versa. And considering how thorough Lia was in briefing her tonight, Meg knew working with LCDR Gracen was going to ratchet up her own skills in the courtroom. In fact she was looking forward to the investigation.

Lia on the other hand was missing Harm and the fact he hadn't called rankled a bit but knowing that he was over at NAVINSGEN, busy getting into the swing of things and used to the change in duties, his time was probably at a minimum. In her experience while over at NAVINSGEN, she'd barely gotten her feet wet in terms of her primary duties when she was punted back to JAG. But now that she was back at JAG, familiar turf under her feet, she was immersed in investigations trying to even out the loss to the Judge Advocate of their top stellar attorney to the pencil pushing ledger-bashing pukes at NAVINSGEN, no insult intended to the erstwhile and very capable Lieutenant Commander Manetti. In the back of her mind, Lia had realized that this investigation was a test of her abilities and a stark reminder that RADM Morris was not in the least bit unaware of her head to head conflict with Captain Nakamura and the Article 89/92 case was a reminder to her to mind her manners with a superior officer and she had taken that chastisement at face-value.

Meg and she had a half-hour conversation on the phone regarding the particulars of the case so that they were well-versed on what they would be dealing with once they got down to Norfolk later tomorrow morning and Meg signed off stating she needed to go round herself up some grub.

_**Animal's Home, 503-4141 Henderson Road, Arlington,VA 1945hrs**_

Animal, by the time of the next go-around with Harm with regards to the rather pugnacious Lieutenant Commander was starting to get a headache right between his two eyes, which resisted all attempts to rub it away with two forefingers above the nasal ridge. His only mental thought was _**make it stop!**_ Maegyn noticing this, and realizing that if she didn't do something tangible to make him shut up, that Harm would end up talking circles around Animal while the clock hands made endless circles ticking away the time, interjected rather forcefully, "Harm, we're going around in circles. I believe that Animal made it absolutely clear that he has no objections to you dating Lieutenant Commander Gracen. I also believe that Animal will not instigate anything with regards to starting a verbal brawl with the lieutenant commander and furthermore, we've been going over this for forty minutes now! For the love of Pete, isn't that enough?" Animal shot her a grateful glance.

Harm's jaw dropped open. Irish's vehement exhortation, to Animal's amusement, had created a never-before-seen moment: a speechless lawyer. "Well…um…" he stammered nonplussed.

"Enough!" Maegyn snapped and reached over, yanked Harm bodily out of the chair. "I believe you got your answer, which I think is good enough." Smirking evilly at Harm for a long moment. "Now, Animal and I were in the midst of some private time…of course you're welcome to watch if you want…" she just about burst out laughing when Harm paled and made a beeline for the door.

"Um…well, thanks…but no thanks." Harm stammered as he reached the door opening it to usher himself out. "Sorry to interrupt you, Animal, Irish, I'll see you, Animal…tomorrow at work…" and amscrayed, closing the door behind him.

As Animal uttered a long-held sigh of relief, Maegyn came over to him and sat down, letting out a rather annoyed huff. "That sure was a buzzkill." She commented, her tone deadpan. "And just when I received word that I have to head back to Lemoore in another week. We don't have a whole lot of time left to enjoy ourselves…" she intimated as she slowly started running her fingers gently up and down Animal's bare arm.

"So, what happens with our relationship while you're gone at Lemoore?" Animal asked.

"Well, every chance I get, I'll head east when I'm not on deployment, and every chance you get, how about you try to meet up with me out there?" Maegyn offered gauging his reaction to the suggestion.

**_Office of the Naval Inspector General, Pentagon Detachment 0715hrs_**

"Good morning, sir." YN1 Carran said, standing at attention, as Animal gave her a quick grin as he strode past.

"As you were, Yeoman One." Animal replied. "Has Lieutenant Commander Rabb made it in yet?"

"Yes, sir, he's already in with Lieutenant Commander Manetti, sir, going over the latest files on the Fallon move by Topgun. There was a directive from the CNO telling the office to get someone out there to go over the files and do an inspection to make sure that everything was legit. According to the CNO, it's going to require a trip to both Fallon and Miramar, sir."

"That's fine, just let the lieutenant commander know that he's expected in my office as soon as he's done with LCDR Manetti." Animal replied, over his shoulder, as he headed into his office. Pausing for a brief moment as he crossed over the threshold, he informed the yeoman,"And I'll be out of the office from 1240 to 1420, as I have an appointment with Lieutenant Commander Parker."

"Aye-aye, Sir!" YN1 Carran replied.

"…and Morna," Animal grinned using his yeoman's first name to indicated casualness, "Any chance I could get a Pepsi from the fridge?"

"Right away, sir." His yeoman answered with a return smile.

Animal proceeded to enter his office, shutting the door behind him. It was Thursday and he grinned recalling seeing his former yeoman at VF-41 Black Aces alert and at attention that Monday morning resplendent in dress blue crackerjacks at 0730 hrs on the dot.

_"Good morning. Yeoman Two" Animal had stated as he looked over at YN2 Leon Trebalos. "Glad you could make it." _

_Leon had thanked him for the opportunity to be assigned to the Pentagon and to NAVINSGEN and the boost to his career. Animal had introduced him to the rest of the staff at the office as well as to his predecessor, YN1 Morna Carran, who would be showing him the ropes for the next two weeks until such time as a post requiring upward mobility was found for her. She had to make Chief and NAVINSGEN was not such a post. _

Pulling a file from the stack in the in-folder, he cracked it open. Reading through the first notations, his brow furrowed. There was a glaring discrepancy in a program that had been assigned $30M for R&amp;D he since they were asking for more funds only half-way through the R&amp;D phase. This would be something that he and Harm would have to tackle together.

Hitting the intercom, he asked his yeoman to tell Lieutenant Commander Rabb to come to his office. It was about ten minutes later when a knock at the door caused him to bark "ENTER!" Harm entered the office followed by YN2 Trebalos holding a silver platter with a can of Pepsi and a tall glass with ice. "Thank you, Yeoman Two." Animal grinned briefly as the Yeoman excused himself.

As YN2 Trebalos left, Harm braced to attention two paces from the front of Animal's desk, silently waiting for Animal to inform him of the reason for the call to his office.

"Good" Animal noted perfunctorily, pausing for a long moment then continuing. "You know anything about Naval Station Three Rivers testing facility in Oakville, Wisconsin?" He asked figuring that Harm would intuitively know just exactly what was tested at that facility.

Harm nodded and replied, "it's not usually talked about, sir." Harm knew that there were some black programs at Three Rivers. And those programs didn't use funds officially slated to any of the legit programs that were able to be talked about. Animal nodded. Handing over the file to Harm he indicated the R&amp;D additional funds request. Harm looked down the ledger and noted what Animal had pointed out. But for a regular program to ask for that kind of additional funds was out of the ordinary. "Are we investigating this? Harm asked recalling his own dealings with a certain agency. He'd required the help of a certain Marine Col. Barrett to pull his ass out of the fire. Investigating such matters was tricky and more than dangerous if one was dealing with corrupt individuals. Harm wasn't about to assume anything. _ Assuming _was a good way to get _dead_!

"We're going to do our research before heading into this one!" Animal said, looking squarely at Harm with a no-nonsense stare. "We'll depart for Three Rivers next Friday after doing our due diligence. I don't want to be caught off-guard on this one."

"Understood, sir."

"Get the requisition reports for the program in question for the past ten years. That will go to establish a pattern of what is normal for a program like this. Also get me the names of the program department heads in those past ten years and do a background check on them all. I want all of this done by secure today. We'll need to study that information." Animal ordered.

"Are you thinking there may be some illegal activity going on, sir?" Harm asked. "Possible embezzlement?"

"Right now, I don't know but I'd bet a wart on a toad there's something dirty going on!" Animal stated as his expression turned serious. "I don't know what's going on, but we're damned sure going to find out!"

_**Lia's cell phone, Naval Station Norfolk, Norfolk, VA,1145hrs**_

While conferring with LCDR Meg Austin on the new information they had learned, the two officers walked towards the mess deck building. As the building came into sight, Liandra's cell-phone went off. "Just a moment..." Lia said as she pointed at her cell phone, now in her hand, explaining the interruption. Meg nodded in response as they both headed towards a bench so Lia could answer the call.

"Lieutenant Commander Gracen!" Lia answeed her phone citing rank and last name.

"Lia! I'm glad I got you!" Harm's warm voice on the other end of the phone connection caused her to grin.

Lia answered affectionately, "Hey Harm? What's going on?" Clasping the phone receiver to her ear she waited for Harm's reply.

"I'm going to be out of town for an investigation for about a week and a half."

"What for?"

She could practically feel the wince in his voice. "Unfortunately; it was on a need-to-know basis and..." He paused.

Lia sounded disappointed. "...and I don't have need to know." She finished for him. By now having been in the Navy this long, she knew there were some things best not talked about and evidently the investigation that Harm was going on was one of them.

"Hey; would you be interested in dinner and a movie when I get back?" Harm asked; his voice nervously anticipatory.

Lia let him stew nervously for a little while as she pondered her response to the question looking over at Meg who was waiting with the patience of a saint though Meg would never let slip that patience was never one of her strong suits. But Meg returned an inquiring glance and Lia cupped her hand over the cell-phone's mouthpiece and stage-whispered just loud enough for Meg to hear. "It's Harm."

Meg grinned back at her,"Yeah. I kinda guessed that from the cheery _hey Harm _when you answered the phone." She laughed.

"Lia? You still there?" Harm was really nervous at the delay that Lia was making in coming to a decision.

"Yeah, I'm still there..." Lia answered cheerily, her voice alive with merriment while Meg just grinned. "You know I can eat a lot."

"I'm sure my wallet can absorb the damage." Harm replied confidently.

"Well..." Lia responded shooting a mischievous glance at Meg winding up with a zinger. "You do know that I can eat one whole New York Style gourmet cheesecake all by my lil'ol self. That might make a sizeable dent in your wallet."

"Sweetheart." Harm, from the sound of his voice, hesitantly tried out an endearment to gauge her reaction to it. "I'm sure that you couldn't even approach making that much of a dent that my credit card couldn't cover..."

"Uh..." Lia's eyes opened wide as her mouth dropped open causing Meg to look at her strangely. She covered the phone briefly and shot Meg a look of awed disbelief. "He called me sweetheart." She said in a barely audible voice which was very near a whisper.


	19. Chapter 17

_**Author's note: **__Well; here goes yet another chapter written on Pages and frustratingly done on an iPhone where my thumb can just about cover four of the keys on this cruddy touch pad. That does it! I'm insisting on getting a computer sized Bluetooth keyboard for this stupid iPhone and iPad so that I can turn around and type properly. I have ideas for how I want this story to go but it's not easy to 'hunt n'peck' on this touchscreen keyboard before said ideas fly out my head! So bear with me. On a regular keyboard my typing speed is 63wpm hate to think how my typing speed has plummeted on this iPad! _

_Reader Comment replies: _

_Bursalino: yes. I have a bit of a cruel streak. But that place in the story was ripe for a cliffie so I stuck one in. Voila. _

_Angelscatie: yep. Of course now that my computer's toast my muse suddenly decides to go active. Silly muse._

_Guest: yeah it was supposed to be Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Thanks for the catch. _

_**Naval Station Norfolk, Norfolk, VA. 1155 hrs**_

LCDR Meg Austin looked at the diminutive auburn haired attorney with a contemplative look. lThough at one time, she had designs on Harm, she realized that Lia had captured Harm's heart. She patiently waited while Lia finished talking to Harm signing off with a cheerful "Bye, Harm. I'm looking forward to the dinner and a movie."

When Lia had hung up the phone, Meg commented casually. "I think I could eat a whole cow right now, I'm so starved." She smirked at Lia.

Lia's twinkling eyes filled with mischievous merriment belied her annoyed reply. "I wasn't on the phone _that _long!"

"Oh, enough that coffee would've gotten cold." Meg teased, an equally mischievous tone in her voice.

Lia let out an insulted "hmmph"

"So how was Harm?" The sting of her reception from Harm at rejoining the office was starting to fade and _damn that irritating flyboy: _she couldn't stay mad at him for any length of time. Meg knew that her heart would soften and that angry as she was at Harm's harsh words; she'd forgive him. But her heart ached knowing that Harm had found someone and that someone...wasn't her. Mentally quelling the disappointment in her soul, she firmed her resolve to treat Harm in a professional manner because of her experiences working cases with him at the Judge Advocate.

"I think he's OK." Lia replied casually. Last thing he said was that he was going on an investigation for NAVINSGEN but other than that, he wouldn't say. I took that to infer he was working on something not do be discussed except through proper channels."

"Understandable." Meg stated; her background in Naval Weapons Systems familiar with black projections cloaked in secrecy around them "It's not really something that he'll be able to talk about if he's on an investigation and he's trying to remain impartial to the process"

The two officers resumed their heading towards the Mess-deck building.

_**Naval Station Three Rivers, Oakville, WI 1245hrs**_

The project was running over cost estimates and the last time they had attempted to obtain funds on that project; had prompted quite a few uncomfortable questions as to where the money was going. Now the boom had lowered on the project and two NAVINSGEN inspectors were coming up to find out what was going on. Captain Donovan Bryce, USN Naval Systems Command looked over the formal notification from the office of the Naval Inspector General. Knowing that the Naval Inspector General was involved there would more than likely be interference from RLSO-Midwest and charges could be forthcoming. Picking up the phone he dialed a number.

"What are you calling me for" the irritated voice replied on the other end of the line

"Shit's hitting the fan" Captain Bryce returned; his voice just as irritable, "We got snoops coming in from NAVINSGEN"

"Any way to stall them."

"Not unless you want a combined JAG/NAVINSGEN investigation of our activities." The bean counters from the Naval Inspector General know there were funds diverted from other programs to this ghost program which was a front for money that a few systems command individuals were taking from the program funding and Captain Bryce was starting to get seriously nervous. "Last time I asked for funding there were a lot of uncomfortable questions asked. They're coming out to turn over the rocks and hunt for clues."

"Didn't I tell you to put together another set of books? So what do you want me to do about it?" the voice on the other end asked. "The Firm doesn't want to have problems that you could've dealt with with a little foresight."

"Well a part of the funds we have been sharing from...this program is going towards your...so-called Firm." Bryce snarled a reply.

The voice on the other end of the line turned cold "You're not on a secure line, are you?" the voice asked, "...you know what I've told you about flapping gums or do I have to pay a visit to remind you again of the consequences of talking about Firm business on an unsecured line!"

Bryce backpedalled. "No..."

"Then get the fuck off the line!"

_**Office of the Naval Inspector General, Pentagon Detachment, 1450 hrs.**_

"Rabb!" Animal growled as he headed over to his office after lunch and a session with Lieutenant Commander Parker. Passing the tall lieutenant commander who was with Lieutenant Commander Manetti. "My office" Harm looked at her and she shrugged her shoulders. Evidently it seemed as though Animal was in a worse mood after the appointment with Lieutenant Commander Parker.

"Yes, sir" Harm replied as he turned away from Lieutenant Commander Manetti and fell into step beside the captain who was carrying a file filled with papers. When Captain Nakamura entered the office, he shut the door behind him as Harm stepped in front of Animal's desk. Animal walked around his desk and sat down in his chair silently looking at the file he carried all the way from General Records.

"Lieutenant Commander Rabb" Animal stated as he looked up at him. He paused ominously and then continued, "The more I look at this file, the more suspicious I'm getting and make a note of these notations. They're plentiful. I see a record of fund siphoning; multiple payments to an unnamed source with nothing to show for it. Smacks of fraud and money laundering at the very least; points to a security breach in our R&amp;D programs at the worst. And a leak that needs to be stopped." he growled. "I have a feeling that something is behind this and that something doesn't want to be discovered. We're going in armed..." He pointed to the file noting the notation of an unnamed source "Chances are, they don't want us snooping around and we'll be in for an uncomfortable reception."

Harm nodded; his own stomach tying up in knots. He'd run into a nasty character when he'd gone to investigate the Helo midair at 29 Stumps a jarhead Helo base. Some guy who said that he was from Defense Security Division. Evidently they were running their own rogue ops and Harm and Bud had run smack in the middle of it having to have his ass extracted from the hot zone by Colonel Ron Barrett. This time he and Animal wouldn't have the benefit of the US 3/11 Marines. They were going into a nasty place all by their lonesome. Considering what they had been through during the Gulf War flying off the USS Seahawk, they'd had their experience with nasty situations but this would be by far the worst of the lot. Harm thought this thing smacked of Clark Palmer's doing and Animal had not run up against a guy that nasty. Khatoob was a pussycat compared to Palmer. All they could do was hope for the best and take ammo and weapons with them.

Animal looked over at Harm with a taciturn expression on his face for a long moment before speaking. "...i think it would be best if we went in armed." He repeated. "I don't like the looks of this one."

"Agreed".

"Sign two M9s and three clips each with six boxes of 9mm frangible tip. And make sure the Armory gets us the necessary paperwork filed with ATF to be able to carry across state-lines." Animal growled ominously "I don't want to be stopped by some overzealous law-enforcement puke who's looking for some notches on his service revolver."

"Aye, sir". Harm replied, noting down the request on a notepad.

"You know anybody at RLSO Midwest just in case we have to pull someone in from the legal beagles on short notice?" Animal inquired.

"Not off the top of my head, sir."

"Well look into it and get me the files of the two best case investigators at RLSO Midwest. We'll make an appearance at the office there first to give them a heads-up on what's going down." Animal ordered.

"Yes, sir."

"God, Hammer,". Animal broke formality, "I hate this shit! How the hell did you manage to get used to this crap?"

"It's an acquired taste." Harm quipped as Animal snorted shaking his head.

"God help me!"

_**Naval Station Norfolk, Norfolk, VA. 1535 hrs**_

Lia looked over at Meg with a questioning glance. "How many more interviews do we have? "

Meg replied with the folder open "we have another ten witnesses as to the heated conversation between the Chief Boatswains-mate and Lieutenant Wiggins. If we start at 0600 tomorrow we should be done by 1300hrs and back on the road by 1330." She looked over at Lia with a smile and suggested, "we can swing by a drivethru on the way back to satisfy any food cravings."

"So who do we talk to next?" Lia queried. "I have a Seaman Ronald Torbett, E-3 who was present on the liberty boat within hailing distance of the Lieutenant and Chief and should be questioned."

"He's had plenty of time to corroborate testimony with his fellow sailors." Meg informed her. "From all accounts; no-one likes the Lieutenant. He was kindly referred to as a ballbuster. I don't think any new testimony would have much left to uncover."

"That may be so; but _no stone left unturned; _no testimony unobtained." She gathered up pen and paper. " back to the grind." She stated nonchalantly.

Meg silently agreed though she was tempted to play devil's advocate. A dissenting point of view would allow them to explore all facets of the case and possibly allow them to gain an edge over the opposing side. Meg when she had been at JAG had concentrated on the investigative end of the cases she had worked on with Harm.

Right now as the case stood, Meg thought, there were more enlisted in favor of the chief bosun than the lieutenant. From all accounts, the lieutenant's subordinates regarded him as an insufferable martinet. The lieutenant was regarded as so stiff and unrelenting in his views and expectations that he had forced numerous enlisted to request transfer to a different post. His FITREPS were exemplary however he was asked many times by superiors to ease up on the men and women under his command and he would briefly just so that his superiors would get off his back. Then he was right back to being, to put it lightly, a prick. Meg felt sorry for the prosecution who would plead this case in court. Portraying Lieutenant Wiggins in any sort of sympathetic light was going to be an incredibly onerous task.

As they walked towards the interview room for the last interview of the day, Meg and Lia discussed inconsequential matters so as to keep case particulars from prying ears. "So, looking forward to seeing Harm off before he heads out on his case?" Meg asked, her curiosity overcoming her desire to accord Lia her privacy with respect to her relationship with Harm. A little girl-talk couldn't hurt. And the devious part of Meg wanted to gain an inside measure of her investigative partner; just in case she had to face her in court, she reasoned. One should never assume that they'd be partnered together in the courtroom.

_**Office of the Naval Inspector General, Pentagon Detachment, 1635 hrs.**_

"Rabb?" Harm winced. Animal's low growl was unmistakable. It wasn't the ominous _I'm going to rip your head off and shit down your neck _growl of RADM Chegwidden, but the tone of voice was still just as forbidding. "I trust you have the files requested?"

"Yes, sir" Harm replied wondering just how this four-striper could be just as scary as a two-star.

"Sir. The files were placed on your desk by the commander." YN1 Carran stated defusing the tense situation. He was able to get the files from RLSO Mid-West."

Animal nodded; uttered a brief perfunctory "very well..." grunted a "thank you" and headed back to his office to find the files in his in-box. Muttering an oath, he wondered just how hard of hearing he could have gotten that he didn't realize that Harm had walked in, put the files in his inbox, walked out again without him noticing anything. Walking back out again, he growled "RABB!?"

Harm vaulted out of his seat to the position of attention. "Yes, Sir!"

"Did I at any point acknowledge your presence in my office?!"

"Yes, sir, you said. _Very well, place them in my in-box, Lieutenant Commander Rabb; dismissed. _I said yes,sir, did the requested, about faced and walked out, sir".

Animal muttered. " I must be going mental." As he shot a look at Harm as if to say _not a word._ LCDR Manetti, YN1 Carran and YN2 Trebalos bit down laughter. Animal hmmphed..."I hate cod liver oil!" And retraced his steps back into his office, shutting the door behind him.

Harm looked over at Tracy. He said in a stage whisper,"I presume I shouldn't suggest leafy green vegetables...or avocados" As he grinned.

"Not unless you want to get court-martialed." Tracy said, her eyes alight with amusement.

_**Naval Station Norfolk, Norfolk, VA. Next Day 1130 hrs **_

Meg let out a tired sigh looking over at Lia. "Well that's the last of them." Lia nodded in return. "Are we getting a clearer picture of what happened?" Meg asked looking over at a rather fatigued and frazzled partner.

"Yeah, I think so." Lia replied shutting the case folder with witness interview notes in them. "I think this one's gonna be hashed out in the courtroom. No doubt about it. Captain Hubbard isn't likely to drop Article 89 charges when we talked to the witnesses on CCTV. He runs a tight ship and regardless of whether Lieutenant Wiggins is considered a martinet or not, disrespecting a superior commissioned officer is disrespecting a superior commissioned officer. Case closed. We go to charges. OK. Meeting with the admiral when we get back. You should call the office on our way back to the office and get them to put us straight through to the admiral when we come through the double-doors." She nodded in satisfaction when she saw Meg pull out her cell phone and start dialing.

As they walked to their Navy sedan, a sailor approached them cautiously. Moving the much smaller LCDR Gracen behind her with an arm, Meg hailed the incoming sailor. "What do you want. Sailor?"

The sailor gave her a look of concern, "Ma'am. I need to talk to you." He said.

"Your name?"

"Seaman Peter Winfield, Ma'am. I was on the liberty boat when Chief Holloway snapped at Lieutenant Wiggins, Ma'am."

"How come you weren't on the witness manifest?" Lia asked; her interest peaked.

"Ma'am...they wanted to stifle my testimony." Lia and Meg's ire rose at that and marking down the name of the sailor, told Seaman Winfield to be sure to present himself for court and that they would be by again to present him with a subpoena.

_**Office of the Naval Inspector General, Pentagon Detachment, 1150 hrs.**_

Lieutenant Commander Harmon Rabb Jr. smiled casually as he walked towards the office with the requisite armory items in a secure black Pelican case. People got nervous when things like that were openly carried and he didn't want to make the Pentagon Police nervous and considering they were civilians, anything carried openly, like weapons, tended to make them jumpy. It had been almost a week since he had first reported into Office of the Naval Inspector General, Pentagon Detachment and he was just starting to get the hang of navigating this maze of corridors and offices that was the edifice known as the Pentagon. Grinning congenially at YN1 Carran and YN2 Trebalos, he walked past and knocked on the door of his commanding officer.

"ENTER!" The resultant roar from the office made Harm's grin wider. Harm walked in shutting the door behind him. Holding the Pelican case in front of him, nodding to Animal who dispensed with military protocol. Opening the case; Harm noticed Animal nodding in approval as to the weapons garnered from the armory. He had an unsettling feeling that they would have need of the weapons before their investigation was through.

"Good work, Lieutenant Commander." Animal said as he felt the reassuring weight of the M9 fit his palm as he inspected the Beretta. "I hope we don't have to use them but I have this gut hunch we may need them. In 20 years; I've found it's best not to ignore my gut hunches. It's saved my life on many an occasion." He looked over at Harm whose nerves just knotted into tightly coiled bundles of stress. No matter how many dangerous situations Harm had been in he'd always known just how dangerous of a position he was putting himself into. But to not know the odds; to take a calculated risk and jump into the unknown was not a situation that made him comfortable in the least.

"Sir, anything new with regards to what we'll be facing when we get out there?" Harm asked not wanting to know the answer. If they were walking into an undisclosed black project; they could potentially be risking their lives. Harm was not looking forward to his first assignment with NAVINSGEN; frankly it was not the most auspicious start to his NAVINSGEN career.

"Nothing like having our hands tied behind our backs and thrown into the shark tank at meal time. Absolutely shit-all." Animal replied; his tone more casual than he felt. Looking over the file once more to make sure he hadn't missed anything, he closed the Manila folder with an audible snap of sheaves of papers hitting against each other.

"Do you have the feeling we're walking into a trap?" Harm wanted reassurance in the negative.

He wasn't going to get it when Animal bluntly replied "Yes!"

_**JAG HQ, FALLS CHURCH, VA; 1635hra**_

Meg and Lia strode through the double doors as junior officers got out of the two women's way almost as if they intuitively knew the two lieutenant commanders were on a mission and should not be impeded in any way.

"Tiner? Is the admiral in?" Lia asked brusquely; all business.

"Yes ma'am." The YN1 replied reaching for the phone. "Sir? Lieutenant Commanders Austin and Gracen here to see you."

"Send them in." Lia and Meg could hear Admiral Morris' reply from the phone. YN1 Tiner motioned the two lieutenant commanders forward. "Mr. Tiner."

"Thanks, Tiner." Lia grinned at him and strode to the admiral's door.

"You're welcome, Ma'am!" Tiner responded as the two women were ushered into the admiral's office and returned diligently to his duties.

As the two entered the office, RADM Morris looked up from his files and said briefly, "Commanders, I trust you've delved in deeper into the situation?" Lia nodded. "So...what can you tell me?"

"Sir." Lia paused briefly as RADM Morris looked sternly at her. "We found a witness whose testimony is being stifled. I think the situation goes deeper than a simple "disrespecting a commissioned officer" charge."

RADM Morris looked troubled. "Captain Hubbard is a highly decorated officer. Lieutenant Commander Gracen. It could potentially mean his career if found guilty of suppressing witness testimony."

"Suppressing evidence is a serious charge as well as witness tampering. The witness has information that could influence the case in either direction; for or against the accused and the jury has a right to hear it before they render a verdict. Sir" Lia insisted. "I wouldn't want the court to railroad the defendant into a guilty verdict because exonerating evidence was suppressed..." Lia was about to go on when Morris raised a hand to stop her.

"Lieutenant Commander; stop right there before you say something I shouldn't hear." Stopping her protest with a firm glare he stated. "Lieutenant Commander Gracen. I understand the seriousness of tampering charges but do not smear a superior officer until you have gathered all related evidence that he has done so or you will end up facing Article 107 charges. Do you understand me? Lieutenant Commander Gracen?" His saturnine face appeared to be akin to a thundercloud. Lia gulped. "What is your viewpoint. Lieutenant Commander Austin? Do you feel there is sufficient evidence of tampering to press charges against the Tuxpan's commanding officer?"

Meg shook her head. "No, Sir. We need to interview the current witness in a location where his testimony won't be suppressed." Meg didn't see it but Lia had a small smile on her face as RADM Morris nodded. "Then I would suggest that you go back to Norfolk and corral that witness then sequester him at the barracks in DC under guard."

"Yes, sir!" Both officers replied and proceeded to exit the admiral's office, stopping in at Lia's office to secure the witness statements in a safe, as Meg turned to Lia and said "You were the one who said to wait on the drive back. Why did you change your mind?"

Lia grinned at her. "I wanted to give Admiral Morris the impression of you not being an impulsive attorney. I wanted to see if you had the guts to say what you said in the office or whether you'd just be another two-and-a-half-striper yes-man. I have to leave him with a good impression of your capabilities before I transfer into judiciary. And by the way..." Lia's countenance turned serious, "A mark of a good investigator and lawyer is the ability to be able to overrule someone even a superior officer if he/she is going down the wrong path in an investigation. You don't do anyone any favors least of all the defendant if you don't turn over every stone. Meg, don't be afraid to speak your mind." She spun the combination lock on the safe opening it, then depositing the case folder into it. Grabbing her black jacket with gold oak-leaves on the epaulets from the coat hanger she slipped it on, she grinned "Back to Norfolk we go; it's gonna be a late night..."

Meg groaned.

_**Office of the Naval Inspector General, Pentagon Detachment. 1700hrs**_

"So..." Animal said. "We have weapons for self defense and a way of communication if we run into anything we can't handle, right?"

"As far as we know, sir" Harm replied. "We've gone over the minutiae of the case so that we know what's going on and what we need to look for in terms of discrepancies. We've rooted out anything that we think is suspicious and taken notes on that so we know who we're looking for. The only thing we don't know is where that money is being funneled to."

"I have an idea but I won't be able to confirm it after we're feet-dry." Animal rubbed his forehead, sighing tiredly.

_**Naval Station Three Rivers, Oakville, WI 2125hrs**_

The alleyway between the two buildings on-base was dark and unlit. If a passerby glanced into the alleyway they would have seen nothing but black shadows If they had paused to look deeper into the shadow their eyesight would have keened enough to see the shadowy forms of two men standing cloaked in darkness, articulating in broad gestures. "Look, I didn't tell them anything." , one of the shadows spoke waving his hands around.

"You should have kept a secondary set of books." The other shadow gesticulated sharply. "Look we'll take care of it. You won't need to worry about a thing. Why don't you have a smoke; it'll calm you "

A minute later one of the men walked out from between the buildings. If there was anyone who would have noticed the non-descript sandy haired man he would have been disconcerted to see a chilling smile cross the lips of that man as he swiftly but confidently made his way away from the alleyway.

_**Naval Station Three Rivers, Oakville, WI 0745hrs (next day)**_

Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Naval Criminal Investigative Service looked down at the khaki clad body of one Captain Donovan Bryce. It looked as though he had collapsed and died of a heart attack his right hand clutching his chest. The ashes of a cigarette lay on the pavement nearby.

"It looks like a heart attack." Special Agent Joffrey Willems looked over at him casually ignoring the body. "Don't know why they called us out on this one."

"Made it look like one." Gibbs replied. "It isn't. I've seen this MO before." He turned to the other crime scene worker. "Bag him. We're going to need to have Ducky take a look at him."


	20. Chapter 18

_**Naval Station Three Rivers, Oakville, WI 0755 hrs**_

"Hey, Probie!" Gibbs gestured to one of the probationary agents milling around the crime scene. "You got an evidence bag for that cigarette?" Gibbs irritably grumbled under his breath at the slightly confused expression on the agent's face. "The one that's sitting on the ground beside the body! What the hell did you think I was referring to?" The probie suitably chastised hastened to get an evidence bag as Gibbs threw his last barb at his retreating bag. "We need to get that tested before the ground contaminates the evidence too much so that a chemical analysis can't trace anything critical."

One of the other agents on the team solemnly intoned "So, we have here one deceased, Donovan Bryce, Captain, United States Navy, left a family, sixteen year old son and a wife of twenty seven years."

"What does your gut hunch tell you?" Gibbs prodded the agent gruffly.

"Something smells fishy here." The agent replied.

"No kidding." Gibbs commented sarcastically. "And I think the victim was neck-deep in it. The MO strikes me as familiar and I've seen cases like this around before."

The agent looked curiously at him.

"Yeah, Mike Franks and I had a case similar to that several years before he retired in '96. That's why I told the probie to go get a bag and bag that cigarette. I want a chemical analysis done on it to see if there's the same type of chemicals used as in that case. If we do find it, we got a match."

"What then?" the agent asked.

"Then we know it's a dirty fed."

The shock and silence was palpable.

_**Office of the Naval Inspector General, Pentagon Detachment, Harm's Office, 1035hrs**_

Harm was deep into an Inspector General File when a clearing throat attracted his attention. He looked up to see Animal, his stern-faced visage not showing a hint of good humor. The captain looked at his watch, then looked back over at him.

"Grab your gear." Animal informed Harm, "We need to have our asses on a plane by 1300 hrs. Something big has gone down over in Three Rivers and the admiral wants us to investigate the matter. Call Lieutenant Commander Gracen and Lieutenant Commander Austin and you can tell them that you're going to be out of town for a while starting now. I don't know how long it's going to take, but estimate two weeks. Anything other than that is classified."

"Aye-Aye, sir." Harm stood up to the position of attention as Animal turned on his heel and headed back out the door.

About five minutes later, Lieutenant Commander Harmon Rabb Jr. heard a very loud foul-mouthed expletive coming from Captain Nakamura's office. "Commander Hennessey, I really don't give a monkey's shaved ass if you have deliveries. I need a COD into an airport in Wisconsin, Dane County Regional preferably and I needed it yesterday! Either that or call the Air Force and see if they can divert a 17 into Dane! I don't give a damn. Just get it done and get back to me with the times in fifteen minutes!"

_**Office of the Naval Inspector General, Pentagon Detachment, Animal's Office, 1035hrs**_

"But sir," the Commander objected, "The runways are too short for a C-17 to land at."

"Jim, First off, I know for a damned fact that the longest runway available at Dane is a 9006 foot runway, Secondly, the runway rollout for a Moose is 5230 feet at 1500 AGL…." Animal growled at the commander. "Any more fallacies you want to inform me of? Are you aware that you are speaking to a naval aviator who flew fast jets and had to know the name of every divert field from Virginia Beach to Whidbey Island?" That silenced any more objections from the commander and Animal followed up with the coup de grace. "So either I get the COD or I call the Air Force and inform the NAVINSGEN of your reluctance to assist with an investigation. Which choice do I make?" Animal didn't like having to exert pressure, but this case was time-sensitive, by the time the yokels at Three Rivers got through, there'd be nothing left to investigate that could result in convictions and Animal was damned sure that he was going to find discrepancies. "Fifteen minutes, Jim! I want some results. I want to be in Wisconsin by 1400 hrs. Call my cell, because I'm on my way to Andrews." Animal's cellular phone was on the Navy DOD Directory.

"Aye-aye, sir."

Animal slammed the phone down irritated as he realized that the man was only complying out of fear of losing his job as a squadron commander. God, he hated this job more than anything else. But he had to lay down the law, as he saw it, the COD was the quickest way from Point A to Point B and if he didn't get out to Three Rivers, NCIS was going to botch things up so much that he wouldn't be able to get it sorted out within his lifetime. Looking up at the clock, he swore a blue streak, grabbed his gear and headed for the office foyer. He looked up at Harm and grunted. "Let's go!"

"Yes, sir!" Harm grinned at him like a kid with his hand in the cookie jar. Animal shook his head and tossed him the keys to the Navy sedan.

"You drive!"

As they walked through the corridors of the Pentagon, Animal dialed the cell number to Maegyn's cell phone. She was on her way back to Nevada to take over the Black Aces. Two rings and a pickup, Animal sighed in relief.

"Commander O'Bannon!" came the crisp reply.

"Commander, it's Captain Nakamura." Animal grinned officially even though the call was a phone call and she wouldn't be able to see him. "I'm heading out on an investigation to Three Rivers, won't be back for two weeks, I suspect. It's black so I can't talk very much about it, other than where we're going."

"That long?" Maegyn's voice sounded wistful. "Well, anyways, I'll write and let you know how things are going. I'm still going to get you back for swiping Trebalos." She grumbled half-heartedly.

"Promises, promises…" Animal teased Maegyn on the phone as Harm found their vehicle in the Navy Vehicle compound. Harm grinned at him, held up a key as Animal nodded silently in reply.

"So…you let me know when you get back…" Maegyn ordered. Animal grinned as he entered the car as he cradled the phone in the palm of his hand. His phone was one of the latest phones out there, a compact flip, easily concealable in his pocket. Little did he know that compactness would come in extremely handy where he and Harm were going.

Harm noted carefully that Animal's concentration was on his call with his girlfriend. And he figured that he'd better give Lia a call too prior to boarding the plane. As he was the one driving to Andrews, it wouldn't be safe to try and one hand the steering wheel while trying to call his Lia. As Animal finished his call, Harm looked over at Animal and asked, "Have you eaten." Animal shook his head. "We'd better run through a drivethru then, grab a bite and head for the base."

"Sounds good, Harm." Animal replied. "But I ain't eating anything that looks like that poor persecuted lettuce that you insist on absorbing. I'm not a rabbit, y'know."

Harm made a point of looking Animal up and down to make sure and then commented. "Nope, you're a human all right." Animal glowered at him. "So…go through the Drive Thru at Mickey D's?" Harm inquired.

"Yeah…"

"You know that stuff is going to kill you?"

"Yeah…cheaper n' whiskey and tastes better too." Animal retorted.

"Don't know how you can stomach that crap." Harm smirked back.

"I have a cast-iron stomach." Animal replied wondering if he'd have a cast-iron stomach strong enough to deal with the clusterfuck that inevitably happened whenever one of the ABC123 alphagetti soup letter fed agencies got involved with a case.

_**Naval Station Three Rivers, Oakville, WI 1050 hrs**_

Gibbs looked over at Orrin Riley, the agent he was talking to. "Let's take photos of the scene and clear it. We're starting to attract attention." And Gibb's Marine sense was screaming at him that attention wasn't good in this case.

Riley nodded, he was relatively new having been with Gibbs' MCRT for the past two years but he had passed his probationary period. He was now considered a full-time Special Agent with the team and he had been with Gibbs long enough to gauge Gibbs' mood; this was sending alarm bells ringing. This murder had been clean with very few clues; most assassinations were. The toxicology test on the body would bring clues to the surface, but it was time for Ducky and his team of forensic pathologists to get to work on it. He looked at the chalk outline where the body was found. Nodding to the newest probie, he grunted. "Hey, probie…go get a camera and take some shots of the crime scene now that the body's been taken away. We need the chalk outline showing where the body fell and the marker where the cigarette was lying." The probie hastened away quickly.

"Doesn't get any easier does it? Riley." Gibbs said sourly as he looked at the scene.

"Nope, boss."

"Well, we'd better head back and find out what Ducky has come up with. We're borrowing Madison WI Medical Examiner's building and I'm sure that they want it back soon." Gibbs commented casually as they turned their back on the MCRT team still gathering evidence and started walking back to their Navy Suburban.

_**Dane County Regional Airport, Madison, WI, 1400 hrs **_

The C-2 Greyhound touched down at exactly 1400hrs and Animal breathed a sigh of relief. They were there. One of the reasons why Animal preferred a Navy COD was because of the fact that they would be able to carry weapons and Animal had a NAVINSGEN badge and authorization from DCIS to carry under this circumstance where a Three Rivers captain had died under suspicious circumstances.

"Think we're going to have to drag NCIS into the fraud aspect of this? Sir?" Harm asked Animal as the two of the debarked the C-2, their Berettas in black webbing holsters strapped to their hips. Evidently a NCIS agent was standing by the tarmac waiting for the two men to walk over.

"Hi, I'm Leroy Gibbs." He had steel grey hair interspersed with brown and his calculating eyes ran a cursory , inspection over the two navy officers who stood before him. "Supervisory Special Agent, Naval Criminal Investigative Service."

"Funny seeing you out here, Gibbs." Animal said eyeing him with a look that spoke that they knew each other. "Weren't you with 1/1 Marines in Iraq at Al Burquan?"

"Something like that…" Gibbs responded. "Were you Fast Eagle? How'd you end up in a pencil-pusher department?"

"Yeah, I was…Did something stupid…CNO yanked my ass out of a frontline squadron." Animal said pointing at his rack. "…and now I'm stuck here pushing paper from one side of the desk to the other unless they periodically let me out of the squirrel cage to go chew on people."

"Pulled our fat out of the fire a couple of times." Gibbs nodded to the taller officer, imparting to him his experience of dealing with casually eyeing the ribbon. "We were pinned down on a LRRP in Al Burquan supporting the Mechanized Battalion, he came over and dropped a couple of two-thousand pounders on the Republican Guards and made them run for cover."

"Yeah, first time we ever had to move mud." Animal replied. "So what brings you out to WI?"

"Got a deceased. Captain Bryce, was snuffed with a laced cigarette, Ducky, our ME, is running the toxicology tests." He motioned them to the Suburban, and let them load up their gear. "We don't know who's running around. Could be DSD or one of the other agencies making sure that the lid is tight on their opsec."

"Snuffing out Navy officers employed on important R&amp;D assignments? Sounds a little overkill to me." Harm interjected.

"Well…suffice it to say, Lieutenant Commander… uh…Rabb." Gibbs inspected Harm's nametag. "I've had experience with black ops before. When operational security is that tight, any leak could compromise it so, suffice it to say, we had orders to eliminate any leaks."

Harm was a little shocked at the laissez-faire attitude of Gibbs when he related that bit of information. "Walking a moral tightrope."

"You'll find morality a rather obscure concept when it comes to black projects. Commander, you get to see things in black and white especially when cocooned in a nice little staff position. You don't see the myriad shades of grey." Gibbs started the engine of the Suburban, looked both ways and started pulling out.

Gibbs gunned the engine as both Navy passengers hung on for dear life. Gibbs was normally a sedate, careful driver, but today, he had places to go, people to see; in a hurry and couldn't wait for the now irate driver behind him who blared his horn, telling him in handsigns that he wasn't pleased that Gibbs had narrowly missed sideswiping his car upon his abrupt exit. When the angry fellow pulled up alongside Gibbs' Suburban at the next red light and started to roll down the window, he was met with three glowering faces and three gold badges. Harm swore the guy turned white and promptly figured that discretion was a wise choice in this case and decided to make himself scarce. The lettering was too small to make out, but the guy figured that the men inside the Suburban were law-enforcement and opted wisely, not to make a scene.

Animal snickered. It was interesting to gauge the reactions seen when one displayed an official badge and needless to say, the Naval Inspector General's office was technically an oversight office with naval officers overseeing the everyday operation of the world's largest blue-water Navy. Animal liked the leather-lined badge wallet and gold shield that Naval Inspectors were given. The badge gave them official status, but Animal was a blue-water sailor; a naval aviator and preferred the smell of salty sea air in his nostrils.

Harm, on the other hand, was enjoying the ride from the backseat of the Suburban. If anything he was pumped to start his first NAVINSGEN investigation. If anything, he was pumped to start his first NAVINSGEN investigation. They would be working closely with NCIS's Major Case Response Team, firstly due to the fact that there had been a murder which was NCIS's purview and secondly, if Animal's hunch was correct, there was fraud and perhaps espionage going on.

The problematic part for Gibbs was that with NAVINSGEN on the scene and JAG investigators to soon follow, he was stuck with a whole bunch of Navy brass coming down and making his life a living nightmare. "Any ideas why this went down?" He asked Animal.

"All we suspected was that he was cooking the books somehow and we opted to investigate the matter personally. We're hoping to get a look at the books if they haven't been removed. I'm going to have to see all papers in relation to the case." Animal returned the inquisitive look at the NCIS agent.

Seeing the ball was back in his court, Gibbs nodded silently, then looked at the two's web-belts and prominently open-carried M9s. "Expecting problems?" He inquired casually.

"Federal open-carry…" Animal returned. "NAVINSGEN requisitioned the permits suspecting we were going into a hornet's nest. Figure a show of the fact that we're armed will keep this murderer from showing his face, if we're lucky."

Gibbs nodded as he sighed heavily, then gave the two Navy officers a jaundiced look, "Just try not to loose or lose any bullets. It makes my paperwork hell."

_**DSD Office, Naval Station Three Rivers, Oakville, 1415 hrs **_

He knew that they were looking for him. Life could get very unpleasant for him if he was caught. The person, he'd eliminated; Bryce, however was a liability to the entire program, and he had no regrets over doing so. The DSD had employed him as a way to make problems disappear and he had done their dirty work for them for years without problems. He looked over at the tools of his trade; the tools of an assassin, the trusty pack of cigarettes that gave those a final puff, a miniature camera to take photos of sensitive documents to sell to the highest bidder. Even DSD didn't know who he was ultimately working for. All it took was a little adroit maneuvering and money was siphoned from one account to another and he could sit like a fat spider waiting for his prey to walk into his web.

Money and revenge were his motivations. The former was simple; profit in its simplest form was the desire for riches. The latter was to satisfy his basest desires to commit acts of mayhem.

_**Morgue, Oakville Morgue, Oakville, WI 1430hrs CST**_

NCIS Major Case Response Team Medical Examiner Donald _Ducky_ Mallard looked over the body of one deceased United States Navy Captain Donovan Bryce laying on the examination table. "Ah, Let's see what you can tell us about what caused your death, shall we?" After drawing blood and running toxicological tissue samples testing, he was nowhere closer to determining cause of death than he was when he first started. The door opening to his examination room caused him to look up to see three individuals standing there, two trying hard not to gag. "What can I do for you, gentlemen?" the corner of his lips turned up in a smile as he turned his bespectacled, protective shield covered face towards his team leader and the two Navy officers.

"Ducky, have you got anything for us?"

Ducky shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry, Jethro, I seem to be no further ahead than I was before you headed for the airport." He showed Gibbs the reports that had come out of the toxicological testing.

"So, nothing out of the ordinary?"

"Only if you call ordinary being removed from this existence with the means of a high-tech poison. Jethro."

The two naval officers looked at each other wryly. "So, what sort of condition was he in?" Harm asked. Animal kept silent, he didn't know the particulars of this case, nor did he venture to think that he was able to work around the intricacies of a criminal investigation.

"Aside from the poisoning, gentlemen, I found that there was right ventricular dilatation with fibroproliferative tricuspid valve. The pulmonary arteries, including the main arteries and elastic arteries to the arterioles, revealed fibroproliferative plaque; the latter was more severe and more prominent in the upper lobes than in the lower lobes."

"In English, Ducky?" Gibbs prompted.

"Many apologies, Jethro. Sometimes in my medical zeal I forget myself…His arteries and heart were absolutely clogged. I believe that he was hypertensive and if he didn't stop pumping cortisol, norepinephrine and adrenaline into his bloodstream, he would have killed himself within a month from stress alone. They say _work can kill you_. It just so happened that something other than his work killed him and we don't know exactly what." Gibbs looked at Ducky with a look of disbelief; had he just cracked another joke?

"So, we're looking for a maniac who poisoned a Navy captain who is allegedly siphoning money to some unknown person." Animal commented.

"That appears to be what's going on." Gibbs remarked casually as he looked over at Ducky, nodding a goodbye as he ushered the two officers out of the Forensic Examining Room. "We can assist you with the fraud investigation…"

"…but the criminal investigation is your territory. No worries." Harm replied. "We're not here to step on toes. Appreciate your telling us what's gone on though."

"I'd say keep on the lookout." Gibbs passed Animal his card with contact information. "I'd program that direct cell phone into your phones. Just in case you think you're being tailed."

Animal nodded. "We'll do that. So where do we go from here to find out what's going on. At least on the fraud front. Who's the head honcho around here."

"That would be Commander Leroy Clemons," Gibbs said. "I've dealt with him. He's the XO now that Bryce is on the slab and shortly thereafter the cooler. I don't know who the new guy is going to be but the connections that Bryce had are going to have to be re-established and I want to know who the hell is pulling the strings."

"No doubt." Animal commented disgustedly. "So, I get to deal with an O5 who isn't going to be too happy to know some pencil-pushing O6 is coming down ruffling feathers."

_**Naval Station Three Rivers, Oakville, WI 1535hrs CST**_

Animal strode through the double doors of Naval Station Three Rivers, Harm and Gibbs on his six. "Where's Commander Clemons!" Animal barked loudly enough to rattle windows. The office staff looked up to see three men, two in khakis with sidearms in web-belts and one in civvies, but with a blue jacket with gold lettering NCIS on the front and rear; he was also armed.

"What the hell is going on?" An officer in khakis, two silver oak leaves on his collars, strode out into the bullpen.

"Commander Leroy Clemons?" Animal asked him, eyeing him with a glare.

"Yes, sir. That would be me, sir." The man replied in a resonant voice deep in the bass register. His eyes travelled along Animal's ribbon rack, casually noting the naval aviator's wings and ribbon rack. His eyes widened a touch, when they saw the top-most ribbon, but he squelched down the surprise.

"Kind of figured that from your oak leaves, Commander." Animal said acerbically. "The name is Toshio Nakamura, Captain, Naval Inspector General's office. What I would like is access to all financial records, and all financial statements."

"Sir, a lot of that information has to do with top secret projects…" Clemons objected.

"…and you will find that I have levels of clearance high enough to deal with that matter as it crops up." Animal interrupted him with a wave of his arm squashing any further protestations to the contrary. "I report to the Naval Inspector General who in return reports to the Chief of Naval Operations…who can deal with any other matters with respect to the level of clearance that I currently hold. Am I making myself clear, Commander!?" Animal asked, his tone menacing.

"Yes, sir."

"The financial records, please. Now."

"Aye, aye, sir." The commander said as he turned to a YN3, "Yeoman, please find the Captain the records in what used to be Captain Bryce's office please and provide them a room where they can review those said records?"

"Any computers used for the filing of these financial reports, we need access to, too…forensic analysis." Gibbs helpfully pointed out. Animal noted that Clemons' back visibly became rigid; he suspected that Clemons was trying to hide something.

"You will have our full cooperation, sir." Commander Clemons replied stiffly turning to the Yeoman who had returned with the paper records in several voluminous binders and paused waiting for the three to follow him. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have projects to attend to…sir."

Animal and Harm looked at each other knowingly then at Gibbs who mentally jotted down that Clemons needed to be watched and investigated. As they walked behind the YN3 who lead them to the room that they were to sit down and read the financials to find discrepancies, Gibbs gestured to the two naval officers. Once the YN3 found the room, explained that the financials were to be kept secure at all times, and informed them that he would be back by secure to ensure that those financials could be returned under lock and key. When the door shut behind the YN3 and the three were left alone, Gibbs silently pressed a raised index finger to his lips, and whispered, "Bug scan." He said pulling a small device, an RF signal detector from his belt, pulling it out and checking the readout as he walked around the room. "I want to make sure this room is secure so that we can discuss the findings in here…" When Gibbs was finished he noted, "Room's clean. We can discuss things in here without worrying about anyone listening in."

Harm commented to Animal, "Under NAVREGS Article 1127 they cannot withhold information crucial to the investigation. I'm going to invoke Article 1127." Animal nodded and Harm continued. "1127. Control of Official Records: No person, without proper authority, shall withdraw official records or correspondence from the files, or destroy them, or withhold them from those persons authorized have access to them; which in this case would be us under official NAVINSGEN purview.

"What if they invoke the National Security clause." Gibbs asked. "If we disclose national security information, then we're liable ourselves and that could land us in a serious situation…and a not so nice stay in a crowbar hotel." He looked wary as he noted this to the two naval officers who nodded.

"In that case, "Animal replied, as senior officer in the investigation. "We refer the matter to the CNO, SECNAV and SECDEF and they can make the final decision with regards to the financials for the black project records. We aren't going to be making the findings public, but we will prosecute those responsible for fraud and misuse of government funds."

"But it will be a matter of record." Harm said, as he started digging into the records. "Sir, do you think that we should consider bringing in a NAVINSGEN forensic analysis team?"

"I think we should; it might seem aggressive, but it'll give those committing the fraudulent actions some pause to consider and if not, then they're just going to dig themselves deeper." Animal replied.

Harm and Gibbs considered that and nodded, opening up the binders and looking through, the figures and numbers confusing to them. "We're definitely going to have to bring in that NAVINSGEN forensic analysis team." Harm muttered more to himself than anything else. "This mumbo-jumbo is stuff for bean-counters."

"I agree." Gibbs replied, as he looked over the items.

"Do you have anybody in NCIS who is versed in fraud investigation onsite?" Animal asked. Gibbs shook his head, thought for a moment and…

…then replied, "I can put in a call to the Procurement Fraud division and see if they can send us a forensic accounting team which can recreate the records and I'll ask our Technical Services to send down someone versed in dealing with computer systems as well." He grinned wryly. "…and I thought I was going to be able to sit down to a good dinner tonight and relax before we wrapped things up with the murder. I didn't realize that there was this stuff going on too."

"…and it's all tied in…" Animal said. "We're looking at a Gordian knot of fraudulent dealings here and it doesn't look good." He looked at Harm. "Put in a call to Judge Advocate too. We need them down here as well."

_**JAG Headquarters, Falls Church, VA, 1700hrs EST**_

The JAG raised the phone on his desk. "Tiner, could you please inform Lieutenant Commanders Austin and Gracen to come to my office, please?" It did not take too long before the two officers were arrayed at the position of attention in front of his desk.

"Take seats." RADM Stiles Morris intoned. "I just received a call from the NAVINSGEN investigators that they require Judge Advocate investigators with computer backgrounds to investigate in conjunction with the ongoing NAVINSGEN and NCIS investigations. Also, I am sending Lieutenant JG Bud Roberts with you. If I recall correctly, he is well versed in computers and in accounting. In that vein, you will pass the Tuxpan case to Lieutenant Commander Imes. You are to meet with her and clear your slate, transferring all other cases that you currently have open to her. For this case you will require an open docket and no other cases so that you have your full attention on this. I will be notifying DCIS that you require a federal enforcement carry permit and you three will be armed at all times while on this investigation. Am I clear?"

"Yes, sir."

"I should not need to advise you that black projects are a dangerous area of the Navy to deal with. And that you need to be on your guard. Do I?" RADM Morris intoned severely.

"No, sir…" Meg replied as she looked over at LCDR Gracen who looked appropriately nervous. This wasn't going to be one of their cakewalk assignments, she thought.

"Alright, Lieutenant Commanders Gracen, Austin. I expect that you both use the rest of today to distribute the rest of your cases amongst the other lawyers in the office, tell Lieutenant JG Roberts to do the same and then I expect you three to report to Andrews in order to get yourselves on a COD to Dane County Regional. I'll make sure that I notify Captain Nakamura and Lieutenant Commander Rabb that you three will be arriving between 2000hrs and 2200hrs as well as get LN2 Tiner to get you seats on that COD." Morris looked at the phone and then back at Lia and Meg.

"Aye, aye, sir!" Both officers chorused as they stood up.

"Dismissed." Morris said as he turned to his phone as the two about-faced and headed for the door. "Keep me informed of the situation."

"Yes, sir." They said as they exited the office door and closed the door behind them.

Walking by Tiner's desk nestled in a corner of the admiral's anteroom, they called out to Tiner. "Let us know what the time to be at Andrews is at. We need to be in Dane County Regional Airport by 2200hrs at the latest."

"Yes, ma'am." Tiner said, his usual confused look on his face.

As they walked out of the foyer, Lia said to Bud, "Lieutenant JG Roberts, admiral's orders, distribute your current cases to the other lawyers, we will be doing the same and you are expected to have your go-bag ready by 1800hrs. We will be departing Andrews for Dane County Regional. NAVINSGEN has requested our presence to assist in a case requiring Judge Advocate representation. Tiner will have our travel itinerary. Clear your slate by 1730hrs. Got it, Bud?"

"Aye, aye, Ma'am!" Bud reacted, eyeing LCDR Gracen. "Any idea where we're headed to, final destination?"

"Three Rivers, and it's top secret. Zip lips!" Meg informed him with a pleasant smile.

"Yes, ma'am!" Bud's eyes widened in surprise. He'd heard of the place, but hadn't known just how hush-hush the place was.

"We'll be briefed on the case once we get there." Meg continued. "So…time's a-wasting. Let's get our slates clear and let's get going." At that exact moment, a very efficient YN2 Tiner emerged from his hidey-hole and handed them each an itinerary sheet. The COD was departing in two hours which meant they had at least one hour before they had to make Andrews AFB.

"So much for a pleasant relaxed dinner, huh?" Lia muttered as they divvied up the cases amongst the lawyers who were still present.

"Yeah…looks like we'll have to grab and run when we get to Andrews." Meg sighed in frustration. "Hopefully they let us eat on the COD." Meg took a moment to tease her friend and coworker. "At least you'll be able to be with Harm." She smirked.

"Shut up, you."


	21. Chapter 19

_**Naval Station Three Rivers, Oakville, WI 1900hrs CST**_

"You're saying WHO is coming?" Animal stood in front of Harm, as they stood on the sidewalk outside the main headquarters building, glowering so malevolently that Harm wondered if he should start worrying about his own continued existence.

He wondered why Animal was taking it so badly when all he had mentioned was that they needed to pick up Lieutenant Commanders Austin and Gracen and Lieutenant JG Roberts from the airport and that their plane was due in by 2157hrs; their time. It wasn't like the world was ending. Harm thought as he looked at Animal who was so angry-looking, his eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his skull. "Sir, I couldn't tell him to pick another investigator" who won't piss off my commanding officer; he finished the sentence in his mind.

"That damned woman is a thorn in my side!" Animal erupted as he paced the room. "I'm supposed to have her here complaining about the way I do things? And she won't have any raspberry donuts because, the baker won't bring any raspberries for only one person!" He threw up his hands in frustration. "The reason being, is that nobody on this base likes raspberries!" he opined as he let out a breath in a huff.

Harm grinned; _if there was one thing that Lia knew how to do extremely well, and she did a lot of things well, admittedly; but the one thing she was able to do consistently and extremely well was get under Captain Nakamura's skin and be a major irritant. _ And it was so nice to have her near him. Harm grinned to himself, then paled as he noticed Animal glaring at him.

"You have nothing to say?" Animal blustered.

Harm shrugged his shoulders. He really couldn't say much. There was no VOQ on base as this base was secure. And Oakville had only two shady looking motels which he had seen as they had drove in so staying in Oakville for the duration of the investigation wasn't even a remote possibility. He'd have to figure out some accommodations for all of them. There was a hotel in Madison, at least that much, he knew. Madison was a sleepy college town, with the UoWI a main attraction. The hotel that he had seen was the Hilton Monona Terrace; a modern concrete building with a substantially large parkade where they could park discretely. It was also close on a sliver of land between Lakes Mendota and Monona and on the waterfront next to the latter. Of course, he would wait though to figure out the logistics of how the rooms would be rented. NAVINSGEN was going to freak out over the cost, but he wanted to be comfortable and not cramped, as hotel beds usually were.

Animal let out an irritated grunt as he noticed Harm was woolgathering and ignoring him. "I hope you're happy!" Animal said crossly as he looked over at Harm. "If that woman bugs me just this much…" he raised an index finger and a thumb separated by only a sixteenth of an inch, "I'm going to bust her down to O1." He finished with a smug air of spite.

Harm snickered as he flashed a grin at Animal. "I know you wouldn't. You're too nice of a guy…"

"Yeah, just try me…" Animal muttered.

_**COD enroute Andrews AFB to Dane County Regional Airport 2120 hrs CST**_

The vibration of the C-2 Greyhound was definitely preventing Lia from getting any sort of viable sleep; the twin drones of the Allison T56s were loud enough to make concentration impossible and the heaviness of the flight deck crewman's helmet that they were supposed to wear made her neck sore. The AW1 loadmaster had grinned as he passed three flight deck crewman helmets to them and ordered them with due politeness to _put them on and keep them on during the flight_ with the usual "sir" tacked on the end.

Meg gazed at her friend trying to doze without much success and gave her a look of sympathy when their eyes met. Talking over the incessant drone of the props was not possible without screaming at each other; it was too loud to be heard without raising one's voice to the detriment of one's throat.

So Meg, Lia and Bud tried to catch some shut-eye and hope that the aviator up front could land this monstrous ugly beast at their destination. Of course they realized that this airport was a fully operational regional airport, it had the proper lights and communications to operate after sundown.

_**Dane County Regional Airport, Madison WI, 2150hrs CST**_

Animal checked his watch as he looked over at Harm as they sat in the car watching the aircraft take off and land. "I thought you said their arrival was going to be 2145hrs. They're running late." He growled.

Harm nearly laughed out loud. "For a guy who's not fond of Lia, you're sure anxious for her to get here…" That comment earned Harm a frosty glare.

"It's not Lia, I'm looking forward to seeing. You schmuck."

Harm paled. Animal hadn't struck him as a serial Lothario. He wasn't looking forward to seeing Meg in place of his Maegyn…was he?

"I'm looking forward to seeing Meg and Bud, because the more they take on in terms of getting this shit sorted out, the sooner I can get back to the squirrel cage and possibly plan a trip out to Fallon and see Maegyn!" Animal growled inferring the horrified look on Harm's face and resisting the urge to give him a headslap to the back of his head.

It was only about ten minutes later that they saw the lights of the COD in the distance. This would not be an announced arrival and they would park at Truax Field to the side of Dane County Regional. Harm started the engine and pulled out to head for the Truax Field main gate, stopping only to flash the gate guard their Navy IDs, which were thoroughly checked and vetted, then drove through to park at the main parking. Their Navy IDs were scanned by the main checkpoint guard before they were allowed access to a building where all flight crews were to come through. Aside from the usual greetings and check of ID, the Air Force personnel that comprised the Wisconsin Air National Guard 115th Fighter Wing, didn't converse much with the two Naval officers who tended to hold themselves apart from the men of the _other service_. Staring out the window, Harm could see the C-2 Greyhound trundling over to park where two Air Force airmen guided it to a stop. It was yet another five to ten minutes before the first person out of the aircraft was Lieutenant Commander Megan Austin, then Lia emerged, followed by Bud.

"They're here." Animal said, obviously, though Harm as junior officer two ranks under him, wouldn't give voice to those thoughts. Animal moved towards the door to await the three officers' entrance.

As Meg pushed through the door, Animal greeted her with a perfunctory, "Good evening, Lieutenant Commander Austin."

"Good evening Captain Nakamura." she said casually although flashing a subtly flirtatious grin at him, though more for the benefit of the Air Force enlisted who seemed to have their tongues hanging to the floor, "Good to see you this evening."

Lia came through the door before Bud did and Harm grinned a casual grin at Lia who smirked at him. "Good evening, Lieutenant Commander Rabb…" she said softly as she looked over at him.

"Evenin', Lieutenant Commander Gracen, glad you arrived in one piece, knowing how those bus drivers fly." Harm quipped, looking at the two C-2 cockpit crewmembers who were just now coming up to the door after post flight inspection.

"Whatcha yackin' about?" The Lieutenant Commander COD pilot looked at his Lieutenant co-pilot snarked back at him as they came through the door. The Lieutenant Commander and Lieutenant looked at Harm and Animal, noting their naval aviator wings.

"Must be fighter pukes…" the Lieutenant said audibly then gulped as he saw quite a few malevolent eyes on him, most being air force, as well as five rather _not amused_ pairs of eyes from the other navy contingent.

"Do you have a return flight to plan?" Animal glowered at the Lieutenant who paled noticing the eagles on Animal's khaki collars.

"Uh, no, sir…we were planning on finding ourselves a motel and then returning tomorrow at 0500hrs, sir."

"Well, then I suggest you find accommodations at the VOQ quickly."

"That would actually be an AF Inn, sir." One of the flight-suit clad Air Force majors, an F-16C with senior pilot wings, said. "But we'll make them…comfortable…" he promised emphasizing the word _comfortable_; his tone promising the exact opposite of his assurance. "…sir."

Animal chuckled evilly as he looked back at the C-2 Greyhound aviator and his co-pilot as Meg, Lia, Bud and Harm followed him out the building and to their borrowed vehicle. They each had a go bag containing their change of clothes and carried over their shoulder a spare uniform in a garment cover bag. Animal popped the trunk of their rental vehicle.

"Shotgun." Meg called out as Harm glared at her. "…what? Sir."

"Do you want me to be able to walk, Meg?" he complained. Harm was just complaining for effect as the 1998 GMC Suburban's back seat was a little more spacious than a '67 Chevy Corvette Stingray.

"Oh, Harm, just shut up and get in the damned vehicle before I can't keep my eyes open." Lia growled as she tossed her go-bag, little more than a black webbing backpack filled with personal effects and intimate apparel such as panties and bras. She had two sets of khakis in her garment cover bag, so she figured that she was fine for the short term. Plus she also had a set of woodland BDUs if necessary in the go-bag.

"Have you all eaten?" Animal said feeling the first twinges of complaint from his stomach as both he and Harm had been too busy to eat anything for dinner.

"Nope. They didn't feed us on the plane and we were too pressed for time to grab a bite when we got to Andrews." Meg informed them. It had been a bit of a downer when they had reached Andrews AFB finding out that they were promptly hustled out to the COD which had in fact been waiting ready to depart immediately upon their arrival.

That clinched it. Animal got the drive this time after holding out his hand expectantly. Harm looked confused for a moment until Animal growled under his breath. "Keys, Rabb!" in a tone that sounded so like AJ Chegwidden, that Lia did a double-take. It must have been the time of night. They all piled into the Suburban, buckling, while Meg smirked at Harm and as she had called out, took the shotgun seat beside Animal. Poor Bud was stuck in the middle between Lia and Harm, the two Lieutenant Commanders sandwiching him in. Unfortunately there was no third-row seating in the Suburban because the Suburban they had rented was only equipped with front seats and one row of rear-seats and then their luggage had been piled in the back.

Bud sighed tiredly. He would have preferred to be home with Harriet, but unfortunately, he'd had to come on this investigation. Perhaps this would give him a better chance at promotion as he was in the zone, within the next year.

Animal pulled out of the Truax Field Parking lot, tossed a salute to the main gate guard on Mitchell Street and pulled out on to Wright to head south. It took only thirty minutes to get to the hotel after stopping in at a Wendy's to satisfy both Lia and Meg. Harm looked askance at the salad offerings at Wendy's but considering the hotel restaurant usually closed at ten PM, Harm had to suffice with the Baja salad, which he upturned his nose at the chili, but subsided, when both Meg and Lia shot a pointed glare his direction. Animal chose to stick with two Baconator Doubles and a large chocolate Frosty. Bud figured, he'd go with what Animal was having just to simplify matters.

Upon arrival at their hotel, Animal was disgusted to learn that the hotel only had three rooms available: apparently, two rooms with two double beds and one room with one queen. That was all they had. And the hotel manager mentioned that due to the number of people in their party that the rooms available should suffice. Evidently, the C SCOW NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS REGATTA was on that week and since it was on Lake Monona, every bloody damned hotel was booked up solid.

"Well, I guess we have no choice but to just take the three rooms, then, Harm and Bud, you can take one room, Meg, Lia you can take the other…and I'll take the third room." That started a row between Harm, Bud and Animal about who was supposed to take the third room solo which Animal quashed by pointing to his eagles. "Rank hath its privileges…" Animal smirked.

Harm and Bud gave him a sour look.

Animal continued smirking at them, "Besides, the third bed is a single queen. Honestly, do you really think that would work for two? Also, having the UCMJ to consider." He said altruistically as he mentioned that key point. "Would you really want to risk the problems that could arise by two officers co-habitating in the same bed?" By this time Meg was smirking too as she knew that Animal was doing this for selfish reasons, not just the fact that he wanted to be altruistic and allow the investigators time to talk things amongst themselves. Even though Animal was the head investigator for NAVINSGEN, he wasn't above sneaking a perk for himself, all legal and above-board though.

Collecting the keys, he distributed two keys to Meg and to Harm; the keys that went to the rooms with two doubles. The queen sized bed room, he kept to himself.

As Meg and Lia headed up to their room, Lia whispered to Meg. "See, he's opportunistic. He's taking the best bed for himself. How can anyone sleep in a double bed?"

"Well…I've done so." Meg opined casually, the gears working in her head and a plan came up. She was certain that Harm was going to pay a night visit, that night and she'd have to make other arrangements for a bed to sleep in and at least one other officer was not about to sleep alone that night. Not that she was intending any hanky-panky, but she didn't want to hear Lia and Harm's pillow-talk at any rate. And she sighed. She sure as hell wasn't going to disturb Bud's beauty sleep by sleeping in the bed across from him in his room. She smirked knowingly. Some Navy captain was going to get rudely interrupted if he thought that he was going to get his bed to himself that night. She justified that she wasn't about to horn in on a relationship that the captain was in, but she needed a place to sleep, but that would have to wait until after Harm made his move. Then she would make hers.

_**Bud and Harm's Room, Hilton Monona Terrace, Madison, WI 2330 hrs, CST**_

Bud looked over at Harm who had just dumped his go-bag in the corner and appraised him with a woebegone look.

"What's wrong? Bud." Harm asked.

"Well, sir, it's just that, well…sir, it's that it's the first time I've been away from Harriet for a long time, I mean we're gettin' married and all, but it's just that I've gotten used to her being there…and I think…"

"You think you're gonna find it hard to fall asleep? Bud?" Harm grinned at him. "Well, Bud, you can always count sheep."

"Well, whenever I do, sir, one always kicks down the fence, then I have to start all over."

"Take a warm shower and drink honeyed milk. Guaranteed, it'll put you out like a light."

_**Meg and Lia's Room, Hilton Monona Terrace, Madison WI, 2330 hrs, CST**_

Meg looked at Lia who was humming as she put away things in her go bag as she rummaged for a bra, panties, t-shirt and a towel. "You seem a bit chipper for a girl who was all about ready to fall flat on her face." She observed her with an appraising look.

"Well, I'm going to take a nice warm bath to soothe these aching joints, after I eat."

"You realize that it's 2330?"

"I don't expect that we're going to do much in terms of investigation until about 0900hrs." Lia replied. "First we have to get some breakfast and there's other things to consider."

"So we won't get charged with dereliction of duty if we get up at 0730hrs." Meg jested.

"Well, we are JAGs." Lia replied with a cheery grin. "We'd first have to admit to ourselves that we were in dereliction of duty, then we'd have to charge ourselves."

"Fat chance of that happening." Meg smirked, then casually asked. "So…you think you'll see Harm tonight?"

Lia nearly dropped her towel, "What?"

"Well, he was giving you bedroom eyes, y'know."

"You're seeing things." Lia said as she headed to the washroom to freshen up.

_**Animal's Room, Hilton Monona Terrace, Madison WI, 2330 hrs, CST**_

Animal muttered to himself. _Staying in a hotel solo sucks. _At least if Maegyn was there they could be celebrating with some athletic endeavors that would leave them sweaty and sated. He smirked to himself as he unwrapped a Baconator and started chowing down on it. Considering the aspects of this investigation, he wasn't allowed to call out personally, so he could do nothing but pick up the remote and watch TV.

CBS was on Channel 3 or 58. And it was the last half of news. _Bloody effing Brewers game_. Animal preferred hockey over baseball, but if he went to a ball-game, he was a Mets fan. Bobby Valentine was managing the team and they had just picked up Mike Piazza in May. Flipping through the channels he found nothing and decided to just shut off the TV and savor his burgers and his Frosty before grabbing his toothbrush and going into the washroom to brush his teeth.

_**Bud and Harm's Room, Hilton Monona Terrace, Madison, WI 2350 hrs, CST**_

Harm finished his salad with a distasteful look at the rest of it and then tossed the remainder in the garbage bag. "I didn't know that Wendy's could destroy salad." He grumbled and gave Bud an even more disgusted look as Bud demolished the remains of his burger, chowing down and finishing his Frosty as a chaser.

"I don't know, sir, my burgers and Frosty were really good." Bud replied swallowing to prevent a mouthful of burger from going down the wrong way.

Harm looked out the door, as he grabbed his go-bag that he had thrown carelessly in the corner. "I gotta go somewhere." He said by way of an explanation. "I might be really late, Don't wait up. I'll leave you the key…" He said passing Bud the key and then grabbed his go-bag and headed out before Bud could venture a protest, the door shutting behind him.

Bud shook his head as the door clicked. "I guess I'm all by myself tonight and even worse, I can't phone out."

_**Meg and Lia's Room, Hilton Monona Terrace, Madison WI, 0010 hrs, CST**_

Meg answered the soft knock on the door as Lia was showering. She opened it to find Harm on the other side. "Harm? What are you doing here?"

"Would you believe I couldn't sleep."

"Meg, who's at the door?" Lia's voice called out from shower.

"Harm." Meg replied as Lia let out a squeak of protest.

"What's he doing here?" Lia protested, her voice muffled through the door with the shower running.

"He says he couldn't sleep." Meg smirked; she was sure that Harm was trying to pull a fast one.

"He couldn't sleep?" Meg heard Lia say incredulously, as the shower shut off.

"Yeah…Bud's snoring kept me awake." Harm said as an excuse. "Can I come in? Meg?"

Meg shook her head amazed at the brazenness of Harm, but stepped aside to let him in.

"Can you toss me in a set of my sweat pants?" Lia growled, irritated that Harm assumed he could come in not knowing that Meg let him in. "I don't think he just wants to see me in just panties and a t-shirt. Damn that man!" she said vehemently. Harm pretended he hadn't heard that.

"OK…I'm outta here." Meg replied…sarcastically. "I don't wanna hear both of you having pillow talk."

Harm's eyebrows nearly met his hairline which was a feat in itself in response to Meg's snarky comment as she grabbed her go-bag and amscrayed out the door, despite his protests…that he was only there to talk. The door shut behind her as Harm wondered just how he could get out of this mess that he now found himself in when he heard the bathroom door open as Lia stepped out, her damp hair wrapped up in a towel, a rather not-pleased expression on her face wearing a Navy T-shirt and Navy sweat pants. Both hands were on her hips and she was tapping her toes on the carpeted floor. "So…what do you want, flyboy? I thought we were going to sleep…in our proper rooms?"

"Would you believe that Bud is having an attack of paranoia about sleeping alone without Harriet?" Harm grinned sheepishly.

Lia smirked as she headed over to sit on the bed. "So…you think you're sharing a room?" Harm turned on his grin. _Damn that man. _

_**Animal's Room, Hilton Monona Terrace, Madison WI, 0030 hrs CST**_

Animal sighed as he looked at the garbage can and the empty food and drink containers that now resided in there. He sure as hell wasn't about to touch the alcohol fridge. That bar fridge ran up charges like one wouldn't believe. He thought about getting out of his clothes and getting ready for bed because it was going to be an early morning, when a soft knock on the door startled him.

"Who is it?" He said as he twisted the doorknob and opened the door to show a smiling Meg Austin on the other side of the door. "Uh…Lieutenant Commander? What brings you here?"

"I seem to have gotten kicked out of my room…" She smiled softly as she canted her head to one side.

"Oh, you have, have you?" Animal smirked at her.

"Mind if I get out of the hallway. Don't want other people to get ideas." She asked, leaning in slightly, her voice husky. Animal sniffed a whiff of her perfume and felt a stirring that had nothing to do with his heart. "My only other option was to bunk in Lieutenant JG Roberts room and that would have driven Harriet crazy." She remembered that when she had initially joined the JAG office, the petite blonde was observing her like a hawk eyeing prey. And knowing that, she knew that Harriet Sims wouldn't be pleased in the slightest if she learned of Meg bunking with her husband-to-be; investigation or not. So, as she thought to herself, her only option was hanging out with Captain Nakamura since she was evicted from her shared room with Lia by Harm playing musical hotel-rooms. 

"Yeah…" He stepped aside to let Meg in the door. He didn't know much about Ensign Harriet Sims to render a verdict as to how Harriet would react to a female officer bunking with her fiancé "…I could sleep on the couch provided." He said indicating the couch in the corner.

"Nonsense, we're both adults." Meg smirked as she noted the blush that was permeating Animal's skin making him flush. She appeared to be making him hot and bothered. "Mind if I take a shower? It's been a long day coupled with a long flight and my back sure hurts."

Animal gulped, "Sure, be my guest…" as he gestured to the washroom, while he tried to calm his raging hormones. Lieutenant Commander Meg Austin was a statuesque blonde, with a girl-next-door beauty and she was something to behold.

"Thanks…" She leaned in and gave him a _thank you_ peck on the cheek and grabbed her underthings from her bag that she had put in one corner of the room, withdrawing a pair of panties, and long t-shirt as well as a towel for her hair and disappeared into Animal's shower-room. Animal sat down on the bed wondering what the hell just happened.

As the shower started, Animal heard the room phone ring. He groaned.

_**Lia's Room, Hilton Monona Terrace, Madison WI, 0045 hrs. **_

Harm heard a gruff "Hello?" on the other end of the phone line.

"Hey, Animal, do you know where Meg went to?" he asked curiously.

Animal's snort was distinctly sarcastic. "And just where do you think she went?"

"Uh…all she said was something about not listening to my and Lia's pillow-talk and went out the door." Harm pressed his ear closer to the receiver. "Hey…is that a shower running in the background."

"Yeah…" Animal's voice was low, irritated and a low growl. "And I don't want the bathtub to overflood…now will you let me get back to what I was doing?" Just then a familiar voice started singing in the background…in the shower, audible to Harm's ear emanating from the receiver and Harm grinned. It was distinctly familiar because he had heard it so many times in the JAG office while she was puttering around going over her files. She did obfuscate about singing as she said that she couldn't sing to save her life, but she still sung when she thought she was alone. It wasn't that bad. His smile grew wider.

"Uh…Animal…I think I know where she is now. Thanks, Have a nice night." Harm could barely suppress a chuckle.

"We're not doing…aw shit…I'm not doing anything…" Animal protested vociferously as Harm hung up on him.

Harm grinned at Lia, "Well, at least we know where Meg is…" He smirked at Lia

_**Animal's Room, Hilton Monona Terrace, Madison WI, 0100 hrs, CST**_

Animal muttered to himself. "That conniving assuming sonofabitch." As he slammed the phone down on the cradle. Just what did Rabb think that he was doing with Meg? She was tired, hot n' sweaty from her travels on a COD and she needed a shower and she just didn't feel comfortable asking Bud for the use of his bathroom for her shower. Plus on top of that, if Maegyn found out, he'd be castrated and singing castrati mezzo-soprano.

Pretty soon the bathroom door opened, and Meg, her damp hair hanging around her shoulders, emerged wearing a t-shirt that went down past her waist and thighs almost to her knees. "I use this to sleep in." she explained as she eyed the bed with a wistful expression.

"I can sleep on the couch." Animal reiterated his offer.

"No, that's all right." Meg said softly as she drew closer to him as warning signals went off in his head. "Besides I'm too tired for this to become a potentially dangerous situation. So let's get some sleep before we can't see straight and we're too tired to do anything in the morning..." Animal's eyeballs nearly popped out of his head. "…I meant…anything to do with the investigation. I know you're with someone already, so I won't do anything." Meg promised.

"Oh…"

"My back is still sore…though." Meg hinted casually as she slipped under the covers of the bed as Animal stood to the side

"Yeah…?" Animal inquired "Need a backrub.

"That would be nice…" Her voice was almost a purr. Animal nodded, slid into the washroom, stripped down to his boxers and grabbed a pair of his shorts which he had put in the bathroom, then stepped out of the washroom.

He slipped under the covers, sitting up against the headboard. "If you lean back close to me I can give you a backrub…" he said. "Perfectly safe…" as Meg grinned at him.

"Thanks…" she patted his cheek. He kneaded her shoulders and the back of her neck. "Mmmmm, I could have you do this for hours." He grinned back at her. "Oh…that feels so good." As he worked down her body, Meg moaned softly. "You are darned good at this. I think you could open up a masseur shop."

"Hmmmm, if that was in my future, it might be a plan." He teased her. "Would you be a client."

"You certainly convinced me…" she teased back gently. As Meg's muscles relaxed, she found her eyelids grew heavy with fatigue. "Lets go to sleep."

"OK…" They separated long enough to curl up underneath the blankets and sleep overtook them almost as quickly as their heads hit the pillows.


	22. Chapter 20

_**Lia and Harm's Room, Hilton Monona Terrace, Madison WI, 00645hrs**_

Harm's eyes cracked open. Lying under the covers he waited for his eyes to acclimate to his surroundings. The early morning sun had attained an angle of 20 degrees above the horizon and he looked at the person sleeping curled up against him. Her beautifully voluminous red hair was draped across Harm's bare chest and her face was buried against his side. He smiled to himself. He leaned over her and whispered in her ear. "Lia...pssst. Lia." This double-bed was too damned small for his frame and too tight when it came to two people sleeping in the same bed. And that was all they had done that last night: sleep. But it was a damned comfortable sleep and morning was certainly intrusive.

Lia mumbled sleepily; cracked open one eye part-way like an irritable kitten and griped..."arrrgh...what? Must you be so damned cheerful this early in the blasted morning?"

"How's my girl?" Harm asked softly.

"Tired. Want more sleep!" She grumped, pulled the covers over her head and tried to go back to sleep. Harm chuckled and pulled her close to him. Harm had been a perfect gentleman and he hadn't made any advances though they had snuggled and kissed. It had made for a warm pleasant night comforted by a big warm six foot four teddy bear.

It seemed only five minutes later when Harm coaxed her up. "Lia. We gotta wake up and get dressed or we'll be late." The NAVINSGEN inspection was supposed to ramp up with the inclusion of the NAVINSGEN forensic analysis team and the NCIS's Procurement Fraud division as well as Technical Services who would send their computer geeks.

"Do we have to?" Lia whined as she tried to curl up and go back to sleep again.

"Yes..." Harm insisted as he tossed back the comforters and got up. Lia gave him an angry kitten stare as he also removed the blankets from her leaving her freezing in t-shirt and panties.

"I hope you know you're living on borrowed time." Lia hissed malevolently. Harm laughed heedless of his imminent danger. As he walked towards the shower, towel in hand, he was impacted in the side of the head by a deadly accurate 700 fill goose down pillow which elicited a muffled oomph and hysterical laughter which caused Lia to loose an irritated snort.

_**Meg &amp; Animal's Room, Hilton Monona Terrace, Madison WI, 0650 hrs CST**_

The sun traced its rays across Meg's face causing her to moan softly and push back against the male body lying beside her, wiggling her butt up against the front of his torso. She smiled a little bit at the reaction she received but that was as far as she was prepared to push it. Perhaps she would have pushed it a bit further if she had known that he was single and unattached but he wasn't; and Meg knew that he was faithful to his girlfriend and this co-sleeping situation was only a mere facilitation of Harm being able to visit with his girlfriend who was actually here. His body felt nice, warm and comforting and Meg yawned like a contented cat as she stretched; trying to all the muscles working again from lying asleep for so long. She rolled over and wrapped a long arm over the other inhabitant of the bed which caused one eye to pop open which appraised her state of undress. It was a relief for the owner of that eye to know she was still mostly dressed, as much as sleeping with panties and t-shirt allowed, even though his mind went places where it shouldn't; trying to guess what she would look like naked, underneath him in flagrante delicto yet recoiling at the thought since that would be absolutely unfaithful to Maegyn O'Bannon, the woman who loved him. All this was, was a co-habitation of convenience, which still sounded dirty, but Meg needed a room to sleep in and Animal's room was the most convenient location.

"Morning, sleepyhead." Animal grinned at her when his other eye joined his first in wakefulness and Meg was able to gaze into his brown eyes. "Guess it's time to wake up…" He sighed in disappointment at the fact that they had to leave their comfortable bed. His body was fatigued and tired, and he needed the rest, Meg thought as she looked over at him.

Like Lia only a few minutes before to Harm, Meg moaned, "Do we have to?" and Animal laughed cheerily causing Meg to give him a dirty look. "You are so mean..." Meg complained. "Just when it was so comfy and warm…" and smirking at him purred in her most throaty voice... "…and sooooo romantic."

"I know…" Animal replied smirking back at her, "But we need to be dressed before Harm and Lia think that we've been doing something we shouldn't be doing." He got up, dressed in his shorts that were hiding his boxers as Meg looked him up and down appreciatively, at the still solid physique of a naval aviator. Animal never did miss a chance to go to the gym and worked out faithfully, though he knew he'd never set foot in a cockpit again of a fast jet, and Meg knew even more so than anyone other than his current girlfriend…that knowledge hurt Animal terribly. Even more so as she, along with Harm, had done the investigation into Animal's Medal of Honor several years back knowing full well that with the receipt of his Medal of Honor, Animal's active duty career as a front-line naval aviator was over. Being deep-selected for Lieutenant Commander had been a surprise once she was finished with Naval Intelligence but it brought her closer in rank to Animal and that was an even nicer surprise. But he seemed to be adjusting to life in the Naval Inspector General's office and he seemed to be more settled. They hadn't had much time to talk before they'd both fallen asleep as they were absolutely exhausted but it was nice to spend time with him.

But their co-habitation here, no matter how innocent, would cause RADM Stiles Morris to go through the roof. In fact any hint of impropriety would cause the new JAG to go absolutely nuts. Meg wondered if he would turn the shade of a roasted betel nut and go incandescent nuclear. The side that liked to tweak other's noses was tempted to inform the JAG of their cohabitation and see how much fallout came out, but the side of her that valued her job wanted to keep it. The latter side won out.

She sighed disappointed. "I guess we'd better get up…" She raised her arms above her head and yawned again. "…even though I don't want to." She sighed wistfully as Animal pulled his white t-shirt over his head concealing that physique again.

"I don't know exactly how long we're going to be here…" Animal said dourly. "From what it looks like, the books that I've initially taken a look at are seriously cooked. Things are not adding up, things are missing in the ledgers…but I need the forensic accountants to go through it."

Meg nodded. This was a dangerous case if it came down to fraud in a black project. Those who were embezzling money knew that if they were caught it would be a capital case and they wouldn't hesitate to kill agents if they were found out. Meg got out of bed, went over to her go-bag and pulled out a fresh khaki uniform and a white t-shirt. She was in the process of transferring her ribbons and rank insignia to the new khaki uniform, when a knock on the door came.

"Who is it?" Animal called out.

"Lieutenant JG Roberts, sir." The slightly confused voice of Bud Roberts was audible through the door.

"What is it, Bud." Animal called out.

"Well, sir, Lieutenant Commander Rabb, sir, he said that he was going to come back late, but I woke up and he wasn't there, sir." At that, Meg stifled a muffled burst of laughter. Meg yanked her t-shirt over her head, exposing herself, as Animal's eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets and he turned around one hundred eighty degrees instantly to offer her some privacy even if he couldn't get out of the room while Meg grabbed a bra and quickly put it on. She yanked her white t-shirt over her head, pulling on a pair of khaki pants and her khaki shirt on then neatly buttoned her shirt and fastened her khaki web-belt.

She smirked at Animal and mouthed silently _If you're going to open the door and let him in._ Animal blushed in response. Animal sighed as he dropped his shorts and put on his khaki trousers, buckling his belt, ignoring the pressed khaki shirt on the clothes-hanger for now and then walking over to the door. Opening the door wide, he greeted Bud, who, when the door opened, gaped in surprise as his mouth dropped open.

"Uh…um…" Bud stammered. "I'm sorry, sir…I didn't know, sir…uh…" He stared at Meg and then back at Animal then back at Meg. It was so comical that Meg couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Bud…Harm kicked me out of my room and I didn't want to disturb you for a place to sleep, so I went ahead and knocked on Captain Nakamura's door and he offered me a place to sleep. Just keep it quiet when we get back, not that they can do anything about it. We are serving in different chains of command…and he was the perfect gentleman." Meg explained to a still-dumbfounded Bud Roberts whose mouth kept opening and shutting like a gaping goldfish.

"But…but…" Bud stammered. "So…that means…that if LCDR Rabb didn't come back to our room…then he's with…uh…LCDR Gracen?"

"Give the man a cigar…" Animal commented wryly as Meg nodded increasing Bud's rapid rate of gaping. Meg looked amused at Bud's awkwardness in the face of what he assumed as two officers in an intimate situation.

_**Lia and Harm's Room, Hilton Monona Terrace, Madison WI, 0710 hrs. CST**_

Lia grumbled while putting on her khaki shirt and pants. Harm emerged from the shower wearing his uniform and grasping his cover. Evidently they would throw their go-bags in the back of their Suburban and head back to the base. She put on the web-belt that secured her holster to her waist. Harm watched his girlfriend get herself ready for the investigation. Her continued grumbling made him smile; evidently, she was not a morning person.

"Just about ready for breakfast." He asked, tempting the tiger.

Lia let out a muffled irritated grunt as she continued throwing her things into the go-bag. It sounded something like _when hell freezes over._ Harm avoided a laugh that would have been hazardous to his health. Even though they hadn't pushed the envelope in terms of a relationship or had gone beyond the bounds of decorum, bunking together was frowned upon.

Harm decided to tread safe subjects and commented. "Captain Nakamura says that the possibility of someone embezzling funds from black projects into the hands of an unnamed recipient is quite possible. That's one of the reasons why he wanted Meg here."

"Oh…" Lia's tone was decidedly skeptical owing to that performance last night of Meg scuttling off to Captain Nakamura's quarters. "…really?"

"Yes, really." Harm intuited that Lia was wondering if Meg's and Animal's shack-up was not entirely innocent. "Animal wouldn't dare endanger his relationship with Maegyn. He's all business when it comes down to this investigation. Sure, Meg and Animal like each other, but it's a platonic friendship and has been since Animal's Medal of Honor investigation." He paused for a long moment and then continued. "I have a feeling that this investigation is going to be dangerous. The ones who are embezzling the money don't want to be found and they won't hesitate to kill someone to silence the crime. That's why NAVINSGEN decided to arm themselves and recommended that any investigators on this investigation no matter what, be armed."

Lia looked at Harm, "You think it will really come down to that? They'd rather shoot it out than give up quietly?"

"They've been doing it a long time and they know that the numbers are in the billions of dollars now. It means that there are capital charges pending under 18 U.S.C. 794 as well as 18 U.S.C. 2381 which could land them two death penalty sentences. Not to mention if they tried to murder any investigator, they could land another capital charge of death under 18 U.S.C. 3591(b)(2)."

"That's treading dangerous waters for them, isn't it?" Lia commented.

"Well, that's why Animal chose for us to be armed, because if they feel threatened they could endanger our safety."

The seriousness of the conversation was interrupted by Animal's voice outside in the hallway. "You two finished doing what you were doing? Because we really are hungry and want some breakfast!" Harm flushed beet red while Lia shook her head in disgust.

_**Naval Station Three Rivers, Oakville, WI 0800hrs CST**_

Upon arrival at NS Three Rivers, Animal and the rest of the group met up with Gibbs who had two other agents with him. One of the agents extended her hand and said. "Morning, Captain, I'm Special Agent in Charge of the Forensic Analysis Team. Jessica Sharrow, pleased to meet you." Animal looked at her; a blue-eyed, wavy haired blonde, down-to-business demeanor and nodded. He could work with her on the accounting, as long as Bud and Meg were able to deal with the interruption. The other agent was a man who stepped forward to introduce himself.

"Barrie Hollands, Procurement Fraud Division…" He said brusquely. Animal nodded again, another down-to-business agent and one not concerned with his stature in NCIS. It looked as though he would be one that would get down to work and help with the investigation.

"So…" Animal said, his tone all-business, "Do you have one of your Technical Services guys here, or did you bring an entire team?"

"He's running a bit late, but he should be here within the hour." Agent Hollands replied.

"Captain Toshio Nakamura…" Animal said extending a hand to shake Agent Hollands' and then introducing his fellow officers: "Lieutenant Commander Harmon Rabb. Lieutenant Commander Meg Austin, Lieutenant Commander Lia Gracen and Lieutenant JG Bud Roberts." Hollands and Sharrow each shook the officers' hands. "Agent Sharrow, Lieutenant Roberts and Lieutenant Commander Gracen will assist you with the forensic accounting and Lieutenant Commander Meg Austin and Lieutenant Commander Rabb will assist Agent Hollands. I'm going to go speak with Gibbs." Animal nodded to the agents as Gibbs moved to the side.

Gibbs nodded to Animal as they moved off,

"Any leads?" Animal asked when they got far enough away from the group who were discussing how tasks were going to be divided up amongst themselves.

"Nothing as of yet. Ducky managed to get the result of the hi-tech poison analysis. It's something that we've never heard of before. It was an ATP inhibitor mimicking calcium cyanide poisoning…yet safe enough to handle without risk to the person doing the poisoning. And one other thing that we found out was that Bradenhurst Corporation was involved. They're a high-secrecy weapons manufacturer, one of the military defense contractors." Gibbs commented. "The problem is…" he paused for a long moment. "I don't like where this is going. If we stumble onto something that we're not supposed to stumble onto, things could get extremely messy."

To Animal, that was the understatement of the year. "Y'know…life was a hell of a lot easier when all I had to do was worry about getting my Tomcat from point A to point B without bending it." He said sourly.

Gibbs snorted. "Welcome to big league investigation."

"You think Bradenhurst is involved?"

Gibbs looked at Animal straight in the face. "You think they aren't?"

Animal shook his head. "Defense contractors want the money…what I'm asking is you think they're involved in the embezzling? Cut money their way to R&amp;D bio and chem weapons and you got a stream of endless funding. If the Navy gets black projects approved, Bradenhurst has plenty of money keeping their tentacles in."

"They got their tentacles in, that much I know." Gibbs replied looking around him to see if anyone was hanging around.

"Get your forensic accounting guys in…get some computer geeks in and see if they can put their heads together and find out where the money is going and how its getting there." Animal stated as he leaned in, trying to keep their conversation private. "Gut hunch says that the guy that was in on the Bryce murder is still hanging around, and he's planning on shutting up whoever he feels is going to blab to us."

Gibbs nodded as his own gut hunch was vindicated. "As soon as Cole gets here, I'm going to send his geek team in to confiscate the computers so that we can retrieve any money trail."

_**DSD Office, Naval Station Three Rivers, Oakville, 0925 hrs**_

He wasn't happy about the situation. This morning when he had gotten to his office, there seemed like almost a hundred NCIS agents around the entire complex. The sharks were circling the shark cage. Whoever tipped off NAVINSGEN brought the whole damned temple down on themselves just like Samson. Eventually, those computer geeks were going to recover enough data to link the funds from Navy black projects to Bradenhurst's financial coffers.

So what was he going to do about? He pulled out a USB drive, smiling all the while that the public was trying to develop one and the DSD had had one for years. It was a last ditch effort on his part. It was a piece of EncryptLock software specially designed to encrypt all the files on the main server of the computer. This encryption was 256 bit encryption which was considered high-tech for today and made it absolutely impossible to physically decrypt without the password which he would keep…and it would set back black project R&amp;D for years. He smiled. The nuclear option, he thought. It was a self-executable file which would upload as soon as he loaded the USB flash drive into the nearest USB port and would finish encrypting all the files within two hours, then the R&amp;D for all US military black projects would screech to a halt.

There was no way to undo this, at least not with today's technology, he smirked to himself. And he'd be able to pick and choose which bit of information that he'd decrypted back into useable form he'd pass along to Bradenhurst and which bit of information he'd pass along to the highest bidder. After all, he thought to himself, he was in it for the money.

Smiling to himself again, he inserted the USB drive seeing the green light going on and the whirring sounds going as the self-executable file started installing itself onto the main drive.

_**Naval Station Three Rivers, Oakville, WI 0935 hrs CST**_

Special Agent Ibraheem Abdur-Rashid El-Amin, NCIS, Technical Services called out, "Agent Gibbs… Got something here... Suspect uploaded a 256 bit encrypt file onto a computer logged in at DSD on base."

"Damn, that's our guy." Gibbs growled. "Good work, El-Amin. Track it."

"Not much we can do, Gibbs, it's already done its damage. We need to get our computers off the grid or we'll go down too." The agent turned back to his computer and started withdrawing wires. Turning to Agent Hollands and LCDR Austin and LTJG Roberts, he said. "Get your laptops off the network or your files will get encrypted too along with it." The three hastened to comply.

Gibbs turned to Animal who was there. "Follow me…" He said to Animal who withdrew his sidearm, and chambered a round in the barrel, flipped on the safety and returned it to his holster, "I know where the DSD office is. You guys stay here." He said to Austin, Roberts, El-Amin and Hollands.

Jumping into Gibb's Suburban, Gibbs and Animal peeled out of the parking space and down the base road towards the DSD office.

It wasn't but five minutes away, but it seemed like a lifetime. As they screeched to a halt in front of the DSD Building, they saw a grey suited man exit the building. When the vehicle came to a halt, Gibbs and Animal dove out of the vehicle, guns drawn.

"NCIS! HALT!" Gibbs roared startling the grey-suited man who ducked, twisted and then came up with a sidearm in one hand. For Animal everything turned into slow motion as he started to bring up his Beretta. He saw the flash of the gun…and heard the whine of a 9mm going past his shoulder, then a twang of another bullet as it ricocheted off the open door of the Suburban as it hit the steel panel and then all of a sudden he felt as though he had been kicked by a mule in the back. A blinding pain as it was suddenly hard to breathe, a fiery burning lance through his chest, as he was flung forward. Animal barely noticed as Gibbs fired back twice at the man, who escaped. Animal's lung began to squeeze. He squeezed his eyes shut and opened them again to find Gibbs' face over his, yelling, "GODDAMN IT…YOU STAY AWAKE…CAPTAIN! DON'T YOU DARE FALL ASLEEP ON ME!"

Animal tried to open his mouth to speak but couldn't. The feeling in his chest felt like knives stabbing him every time he tried to breathe and he couldn't seem to catch his breath. His breaths came in short gasps and his vision started to white out and he passed out, vision fading to black.

_**Gibb's POV**_

Gibbs saw the Navy Captain stagger and fall, a crimson splotch on his upper back, as a hole appeared in the back of his khakis. He fired twice at the grey-suit to keep him from firing back and ran towards the Captain.

Falling to his knees in front of the downed Navy Captain who had fallen face up, his blood leaking into the grass, he yelled, "Goddamn it…you stay awake…Captain! DON'T YOU DARE FALL ASLEEP ON ME, Pressing a hand to the wound he felt the inward sucking of air into the lung, which could potentially be fatal. Gibbs grabbed a plastic bag from the car and duct-tape slapping the bag onto the wound and taping it around, then getting on the radio, he called in. "I have a man down. Sucking chest wound. Shallow fast breathing. I need a medic, goddamn it. Get me a damned medic NOW!"


	23. Chapter 21

_**Oakville Regional Hospital, Oakville, WI 1130 hrs**_ _**CST**_

Gibbs, his dress shirt sodden with half-dried blood, all of it Captain Nakamura's, somberly regarded his contingent who were there at the hospital waiting room. He quietly paced the floor, then looked up at his men. "I want that bastard found."

Just then Harm, Meg, Lia and Bud came into the hospital on the run. "What happened?" Harm inquired, looking over at Gibbs with a _what the hell happened _stare.

"We were going after the guy who uploaded the encrypt program. Turns out he was armed. Captain caught a ricochet which punctured his lung. They've been operating on him for the past two hours."

The swinging double doors that led to the operating areas, swung open bringing out a tired looking doctor whose surgical gown was liberally dotted with blood. All their eyes turned towards the doctor. "Your man is extremely lucky, the bullet was a hollow point which expanded upon penetration from the rear. There were several lacerations and one puncture to his lungs which were repaired. Luckily due to the angle of entry and lowered speed, the bullet fragments missed arteries and veins, as well as slid right by the third and fourth rear ribs but your man is in a medically induced coma which we will keep him under for two days so that he will regain the strength to fight any potential infections arising from the fact that he fell onto what amounted to grass and dirt. There is the threat of liquid in the pleural cavity as well as pneumothorax, in layman's terms it's a collapsed lung, and thus we've inserted a cannula to drain away any air buildup in the chest cavity and a chest drain tube to remove any liquid from the lungs. His prognosis looks positive, his brain activity is good, there was no tachycardia, his heartbeat is strong, but there are always cases of relapse due to infection, so I would remain guarded about his health at this time."

Harm said somberly, "I need to get a hold of Irish." He wasn't relishing the conversation that they were going to have. Both Meg and Lia looked pale. Bud stared off into space wondering how life's fortunes could turn in an instant.

Meg asked; her voice shaky, "How long before I…"…she corrected herself before everyone else could stare at her. "I mean…we can see him."

The doctor, weary as he was, didn't catch the slip-up, and just mentioned. "For now, we want him on bed-rest while in the coma. We'll let you know when you can see him."

Gibbs nodded at the statement, he had another crime scene to get to. "Lieutenant Commander Austin, Lieutenant Commander Gracen…The JAG team and Lieutenant Commander Rabb can stay here…update me on the status of Captain Nakamura… We've left the crime scene unattended for almost three hours. I need to get back there." Gibbs thought there were shell casings near the area from where the shots were fired and he wanted to collect them before the evidence became contaminated.

"Of course." Harm replied as he looked towards the double doors through which the doctor had walked back through. The other three had grabbed chairs in the waiting room and slumped into them. It appeared as though all the enjoyment of working together as a team had been taken out of them with the near fatal injury to one of their joint crew. Gibb's team and the rest of the NCIS crew shook hands with them and headed back out, their minds on the work that needed to be done.

Harm, not liking the fact that he was the bearer of bad news, pulled his cell phone from his pocket and dialed a number.

_**VF-41 Black Aces Hangar, CO's Office, Naval Air Station Fallon, NV 0945hrs PST**_

Maegyn "Irish" O'Bannon picked up the phone after it rang twice on her desk, "VF-41 Black Aces, CO speaking."

"Irish?" Maegyn's eyes widened as she heard Harm's voice on the other end.

"What is it? Harm." She asked, her gut twisting. She'd just taken over command, hell…her change-of-command ceremony was yesterday and she was just now digging into the squadron and making it hers.

"Something's happened to Animal." Harm said. "We were investigating an incident at this base that we found in the accounting records and…"

"What happened?" Maegyn snapped. "Is he hurt, is he in the hospital?"

Harm was silent. She was an O5 and a commanding officer, so brusqueness was a requirement in her trade. "Yes…" he stammered "Yes to both questions."

The shock of the answer made Maegyn silent for a long moment.

"Irish, are you OK?"

Maegyn summoned up the energy to ask, "How is he?"

"He's in a medically induced coma. He caught a bullet while chasing down a bad guy." Harm's voice sounded strained.

"HOW THE HELL…DID THAT HAPPEN?!" Maegyn's voice was shrill with fear and rage as she drummed her fingers on the desk trying to dispel the anxiety that she felt over Animal's condition. "I thought that chasing down bad guys was not in NAVINSGEN's mandate?"

"Can you make it here." Harm's voice was nervous.

"You're damned right, I'm going to make it there. Give me twenty minutes…and I'm going to get permission from the CNO and call you right back." Maegyn barked into the receiver, then slammed the phone down. She wasn't a happy camper and intended to grab the first F-14 that she could off the flight-line after plotting a flight plan. Animal did in his last phone call tell her that he was conducting an investigation at a black base in Wisconsin and that narrowed it right down to where she knew exactly where he was at, in terms of hospital. She'd make damned sure that she could fly into Dane Regional.

Even though her command was important, Animal was more vital to her in terms of her future. And if she cleared it with the Navy's top brass, she'd be able to be at Animal's bedside when he woke up. She didn't want to consider the other outcome; she'd seen bullet wounds before as a combat naval aviator and she knew the potential internal injuries that could present. She had to believe that Animal would wake up. Even more so, she knew that she had to remain strong…at least until she got to Animal's bedside. At least there, she'd be amongst friends and not her squadron-mates for whom she had to appear every bit the bulwark of strength, the very image of the way that a commanding officer should present herself.

_**Oakville Regional Hospital, Oakville, WI 1200 hrs**_ _**CST**_

"Meg, you have to get something to eat." Lia coaxed Meg to try to get her up from the chair in which she was slumped, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"What if…why is life full of what ifs…?" Meg said, her voice husky with grief. If she had only expressed her interest in him before Maegyn had shown up at the Pentagon…if only she had known what it was that she wanted out of life, before now, if only she had made her interest to him known at the Medal of Honor investigation, if she hadn't been so interested in trying to fend off Mackenzie's barbs (she knew the Marine lieutenant colonel hadn't been very friendly to her – Mackenzie probably thought that she was trying to grab Harm for her own) and be able to understand that her interest in Harm had been but a precursor to an attraction to Animal. But all those were big ifs and the unforgiving reality of the here and now was the fact that Animal was in a medically induced coma with a 50/50 percent chance of survival.

Harm paced the floor of the waiting room so much that Lia and Bud thought that he would wear a hole in the carpet. This was his friend that was in a coma after being shot. He should have been there. He had failed, yet again to protect those important to him. He paced the floor lost in the thought that he should have killed the man who'd shot Animal. And from what Gibbs had let on, the man was someone that Harm knew all too well.

Bud got up and walked over to Harm. "Don't think that you brought this on him, sir." He said firmly. "He knew the risks…"

"But…" Harm objected. "If I was there…"

"You're playing into a whole pile of ifs there. Sir. If you went, perhaps it wouldn't have been him; it could have been you in that operating room. Or even worse both of you."

It was a somber waiting room to which the doctor returned not more than half an hour later. "We've got him stabilized…and in a room now, but he's in a medically induced coma to allow his body time to heal. So he won't be responsive. I'd suggest that you give him another hour or two and then you can go in to see him one at a time. Go get something to eat. You four look like you're dead on your feet and I don't want to have to treat the four of you for exhaustion."

Harm looked at the doctor and nodded quietly. The doctor was right.

The doctor saw Harm's question in the look and said, "Commander, he will come out of the coma. There's nothing that I saw in the scan that time and rest wouldn't heal." The words may have sounded trite in the face of this horrific injury, but it did the trick. Harm coaxed Meg, Lia and Bud to get something to eat and the four of them headed to the hospital cafeteria to find something edible.

_**VF-41 Black Aces Hangar, CO's Office, Naval Air Station Fallon, NV 1120hrs PST**_

"Irish…what's wrong?" her XO asked as she hurried around trying to get the flight plans filed for a flight to Dane County Regional Airport. The look on her face was that of stricken grief. _He's not dead_ she thought to herself, _So why am I in grief? Is it because he's lost so much already that he can't fly in the military any more? Is it because I care about him more than I'm willing to admit to myself? _Aware of her appearance to her subordinates, she squared her shoulders and fought down the wells of sorrow and spoke to her XO.

"I need to get to Dane County Regional Airport. Something serious has come up. I called the CNO and got clearance from him to take some time off. I'm going to need you to take charge for the two weeks that I'm away." She surprised herself at how firm her tone was and that her voice didn't shake.

"Of course." Her XO replied as he looked at her. "I take it Lieutenant JG Tanner is your RIO for this hop?"

"Yes." Irish replied off-handed, her mind on other priorities. "…and he'll be taking the F-14 back when you guys send him another driver. I'll leave you to work out the details. I need to get Tanner and get going. I'll be returning on the COD in two weeks." She kept her voice steady and firm. She just needed to get on that Tomcat and get out of Fallon. _Goddamn it, Animal, you are not going to die on me…not when you promised forever…_

It took another half-hour; a stretch of time that almost felt like a lifetime before she was able to grab her flight helmet and gear…corralling her RIO and head for the flight line and another twenty minutes of pre-flight checks before she was wheels up, twin afterburner flames trailing pointing her nose towards Wisconsin and her unconscious lover.

_**Oakville Regional Hospital, Oakville, WI 1400 hrs**_ _**CST**_

Meg sat by Animal's side in the hospital room trying to remain strong as she held his hand. Animal's body was so still; the only sign that he was alive was the incessant hissing of the breathing tube down his throat assisting his lungs to breathe. The re-inflated lung until the hole healed would be prone to collapsing again and thus the breathing tube was inserted so that there was enough air pressure to keep that lung inflated.

She looked again at his body; there was no movement at all, no sign of animation in a comatose frame that lay on the bed like a sack of potatoes. It may have been a medically induced coma calculated to help him recover but there was nothing to distinguish him from a cadaver. He was pale and for all intents, almost unsettlingly lifeless if it weren't for the breathing machine.

If it wasn't for the steady peaks and valleys denoting brain-activity on the monitor, she would have thought that he had gone to his final reward. She sat silently in watch as he continued to lay motionless and it wasn't until Harm came in to trade-off monitoring duties, that he noticed that she was silently crying.

Harm moved towards her and casually put his hand on her shoulder. "He'll be OK…you have to believe that."

"I'm hoping that…" Meg said, her voice wavering. "…it's just seeing him here like this…" She got up and buried her face in Harm's chest, her heaving sobs muffled by his khakis. The only thing that Harm could do was rub her back and hope against hope that Animal would somehow wake up.

_**Dane County Regional Airport, Madison WI, 1420 hrs CST**_

Maegyn radioed the tower. "Fast Eagle 101, Truax Tower…inbound final Runway 21. ETA One Five, Distance 500 miles out, dropping speed to 400 knots."

"Truax Tower, Fast Eagle 101, what's your type? Over."

"Truax Tower, we are a Fox – One Four." Maegyn snapped out crisply, she didn't have time for this. "Do we have clearance to land inbound Runway 21?"

"Fast Eagle 101, you have clearance, runway is a straight in at 021 degrees."

"Adjusting 021." Maegyn snapped and cranked the F-14A into a tight turn to line up with the runway. The distance bled off as she angled her F-14 at 14 degrees AOA and lined up, her right hand reaching for the landing gear lever as the aircraft descended through five-thousand as the runway came into sight in the distance.

"Truax, we are going to be taxiing in upon landing, do you have a spare parking space?"

"Roger that, Fast Eagle, you're clear." Came the response as Maegyn's mainmounts touched runway and she popped the speedbrake, to slow the F-14 down to taxi-speed.

Once they were down, she counselled Tanner to take care of the post-flight checklists and safety inspections and to find himself a place at the AF Inn until such time as ground-crew and driver could be found. A willing AF major was ready to take her to the Oakville Hospital as soon as she grabbed her go-bag from the luggage pod.

_**Oakville Regional Hospital, Oakville, WI 1500hrs CST**_

Meg looked up to see a redhead with blazing green eyes coming through the sliding double-doors of the hospital waiting room. She stalked up to the nurse's station and growled. "Is Captain Toshio Nakamura out of surgery?"

"Yes and who might you be?" The nurse at the station replied, her eyebrow raised, deflating Maegyn's anger.

"I'm Commander Maegyn O'Bannon, his girlfriend." The redhead said shortly, then she turned around to see Meg, Lia and Bud sitting there. "You know where Harm is?"

Meg replied. "He's with Captain Nakamura, we're taking turns staying with him so that he's not alone when he comes out of his coma." Maegyn nodded at the three.

"Sorry, if I'm a bit short." She apologized deflating a bit. "I just flew a Tomcat from Fallon to Dane in two and a half hours." She slumped in the nearest chair as she dropped her go-bag by her side. "Is he…"

Meg sniffled a bit. "There's no response when we take his hand or massage it. The monitor tells me…uh, us…he's in there, but it just seems like he's not responding."

"It's still early in the healing process, isn't it?" Maegyn asked, wondering who this Meg was and why she was so emotionally wrought-up about Animal getting shot. Also, Maegyn wondered why she was holding up so well at this point when she just wanted to curl up somewhere or beat the wall to a pulp or scream at the heavens.

"Harm is beating himself up about not being there." Bud pointed out. "He keeps saying that he should have been there."

"Harm's always had a God complex." Maegyn explained as she looked up at the ceiling lights "Even when he was flying. He wants to protect everyone who is important to him; even though he knows that he can't."

Meg snorted…what Maegyn had said was exactly as she'd seen, when Harm was her partner. He was always trying to protect her or anyone that he felt needed his protection. That was why she felt that they couldn't have a future together. She'd be too afraid for his own safety due to his own penchant for wanting to protect people; risking his own life, risking their future. And yet, she thought to herself; the one other person that she thought would be someone that she would be willing to take the risk to get to know had a) was already romantically attached to the person that she was now seeing sitting only two seats away from her and b) ironically he was laid up in a bed in a medically induced coma due to an errant gunshot which put his life at risk. She finally settled her tumbling emotions enough to say, "That's Harm alright…always blaming himself for other people's actions."

"…and why shouldn't I?" They turned around to see Harm's eyes flashing with anger. "It's a big if, isn't it? Maybe if…"

"Don't you start, Harm." Maegyn got up. "Tosh did what he thought he should have done. You need to understand that you're not able prevent every goddamned thing from happening."

Just then alarms started blaring. "Code blue; Code blue…Dr. Winthrop to Room 105… Dr. Winthrop to Room 105. Code Blue…Code Blue…" There was a flurry of activity as medical personnel rushed towards a room.

"Oh…dear god…" Harm and Meg gasped. The crash cart was headed towards Animal's room.


	24. Chapter 22

_**Oakville Regional Hospital, Oakville, WI 1502 hrs CST**_

Maegyn, Harm, Lia and Meg started in shock as the frantic pace of resuscitation proceeded; the medical staff undergoing heroic measures to save Animal's life. There was nothing that they could do but hope and pray for miracle.

"I'm not getting a heartbeat!" One of the nurses called out.

The doctor yelled out "Give him one milligram Vasopressin!" One of the nurse hastily complied. "175!" Placing the paddles on Animal's chest, the doctor yelled. "CLEAR!" Animal's body jumped with the shock of 175 volts running through his body.

"No response…" the doctor called out. "Give me 200…CLEAR! C'mon, you…Goddamnit!" Animal's body jumped again with the voltage applied.

"Nothing, Doctor."

"750… CLEAR! C'mon, don't give up…" The doctor applied another shock to Animal's body.

"I have a faint heartbeat."

"Another dose of Vasopressin…get his heartbeat up. Intubate him and get him on the ventilator. I'm going to get him in the OR, his blood pressure is low…We gotta go back in and look for a internal bleeder." The doctor looked at his watch. "Three minutes thirty seven seconds. We may be looking at some brain damage."

"Heartbeat stabilizing, Doctor… but we need to operate fast."

Maegyn and Harm looked up to see the bed being rolled down the hallway towards the Operating Room again. Maegyn got up, but Harm pulled on her arm. "Don't, they're trying to save him." Maegyn collapsed in her chair hanging on to Harm for dear life.

Lia looked solemn as she saw the swinging doors swing back and forth after the stretcher bed went through. Looking over at Meg who didn't look the least bit emotionally together.

Harm got up and strode through the opposite doors heading outside, picking up his phone. Dialling a number as he reached the exit.

"Gibbs." The voice of the agent he dialled answered.

"Did you find the sonofabitch?"

"Negative. He's disappeared." was Gibbs' infuriating response. "I got evidence and fingerprints, but nothing definitive yet. How's the captain doing?" Harm stared at the phone. Gibbs' tone was matter of fact.

"He flat-lined, but they managed to bring him back. They're operating again to make sure they didn't miss an internal bleed. They may be needing to transfuse him with blood because he's lost a lot." Harm replied, his voice barely civil with held-in anger. "I wanna find the sonofabitch who did this." He growled.

"We don't have a lead yet, we're running the prints through AFIS. Any fingerprints that come up a match, we're going to investigate." Gibbs replied.

"Well, you'd better find a match before the trail goes cold." Harm snarled as he looked at the phone trying to convey his sense of disgust through the opaque transmission capabilities of the cellular that he was holding in his hand. He didn't say what he felt, that NCIS had better start looking before he did. Because if he found out who did this to his friend and former squadron-mate, that the guy responsible would be meeting a very painful end. "I'd suggest you get on it." He said as he hung up on Gibbs.

_**DSD Office,**_ _**Naval Station Three Rivers, Oakville, WI**_ _**1525 hrs CST**_

Gibbs muttered a pungent oath as he looked at the phone, the dial-tone of the phone beeping at him, mockingly. Rabb was a loose cannon, according to what he saw on Rabb's profile. He was loyal to a fault and that caused him to go over and above for his friends. Anybody harmed one of Rabb's friends and Harm would put the person responsible into the ground. Gibbs cursed again. How the hell did he get saddled with a bunch of freaking cowboys in uniform? He shook his head and made another pass of the area trying to see if there were any other clues he'd missed.

"Agent Gibbs." Gibbs looked up to see Agent Hollands looking at him. "I think I've uncovered something." He held up a thumb-drive with medical glove covered hands. "I found this in one of the computers. Had the computer and the desk dusted for fingerprints. I have before and after photos for trial evidence provided we find our shooter." Placing the drive into an evidence collection bag, Hollands noted the time and date found. As well, he noted the location.

Gibbs commented morosely, "it was a chest shot. He flatlined for three minutes." Hollands nodded soberly as he recognized what losing oxygen for that amount of time could potentially do to a man's brain. Gibbs turned to his expanded team. "I want you guys to pick this place over. I want enough evidence that if we find the shooter; he's getting locked up and the key gets thrown away." He then turned away and stalked off, his shoulders stiff with tension. He had to worry about finding the shooter, collecting the critical evidence to nail the sonofabitch and now he had to worry about one of the damned JAGs utilizing this shooting as a potential vendetta against the shooter. This day couldn't get any better; Gibbs thought sarcastically to himself.

_**Oakville Regional Hospital, Oakville, WI 1655 hrs CST**_

Maegyn paced the floor like a leopard hunting prey; her muscles taut with frustration. Bud sat slumped in a chair as he looked up at the ceiling. Lia looked pensively at the hospital room which Animal had been stretchered out of, her expression unreadable as to the other emotions. Meg looked as though her heart had been ripped into little tiny pieces.

Bud hadn't known Captain Nakamura very long. But he did find that despite CAPT Nakamura's gruff demeanor, that the Navy captain was a dedicated officer and protective of his subordinates whether or not they were temporarily under his command. That protectiveness was what had landed Captain Nakamura in an operating room fighting for his life. And Bud knew more than anyone else that Harm thought of the Captain as a mentor. He could tell that Harm was affected by this situation. He'd lost his father; the man who was supposed to raise him to adulthood, he lost Diane Schonke, a woman to which he'd given his heart and had taken a piece of it with him when she was brutally murdered and now, his mentor was shot. If Captain Nakamura didn't survive, Harm would lose a piece of his humanity and go into full lethal mode going after who was responsible.

Lia didn't know what to think. In the past she had despised the captain for his by-the-book demeanor. He had always appeared to her as if he had a broomstick lodged up his ass; his only strength being how formidable he could make his scowl. She'd thought of him as a martinet; more show than substance. However his actions of today made her see just how strong and take charge, he was; he truly was a leader. If he hadn't taken charge, it could have been one of them. Only a bullet had laid him low. Seeing him unaware of his surroundings, unconscious, direly wounded; he appeared to be a shell of the strong man he was. She whispered a silent supplication to a higher power to help him.

Meg's eyes brimmed over as she looked over at the doors through which Animal's stretcher went through. Her thoughts tumbled; confused in their randomness. The thought of Animal not making it made her want to curl up in a ball in fear and cry. Her anger at the shooter made her see red. And seeing the redhead that Animal was dating made her want to walk over and rip the woman's hair out by the roots even though Meg had no claim to the Navy captain. So she sat there and tried to make sense of her emotions, trying to sort between the six year old terrified girl, the raging demon and the green-eyed monster within.

"Are you all right?"

Meg started looking up to see Harm standing there. Lost in her thoughts she hadn't seen Harm return from his errand. Shaking her head, her eyes started to well up again as Harm enfolded her in a comforting hug.

"Walk with me." He looked over at Lia who nodded her tacit assent seeing the distress in Meg's eyes. Meg nodded and got up out of her chair as they exited the emergency waiting room and walked down the hallway towards the cardiac wing. When they'd gotten far enough away from the emergency ward, he inquired simply, "You've fallen for him, haven't you?" Meg's answer was a nod and a hiccuping sob as she buried her face in his chest. His arms went around her shoulders again as he hugged her, his comforting arms a safe refuge against the uncertainty.

"I don't know why..." Meg said brokenly, her voice muffled. "He's honorable; he didn't touch me last night, even though we slept in the same bed..."

Harm resisted teasing her; it wasn't the right time for that. He just remained silent, trying to be a bulwark of strength that she could lean on as Meg cried out her frustration.

"I know he's with Commander O'Bannon but..." She inhaled shakily; her emotions tumbling. "Do you understand what it's like; looking at what your heart sees as your soul-mate staring back at you?" She sniffled. "I'm regretting to this day,I didn't take the opportunity to tell him back then." Harm looked at her with a look of amazement that she had kept this tightly guarded secret for so long. He actually felt staggered by the force of the emotion from Meg; the silent implication that if she ever got another chance that she wouldn't waste the opportunity. "But that's if he even makes it..." She sniffled staring out at the trees outside the window. She then turned to Harm stating "He'll take a piece of my heart with him if...he doesn't ...make it..." Clutching him she buried her face in his shirt, her sobs shaking her entire body.

Harm could do nothing but hold her in his arms wondering if after all they had been through that he had lost out on having Meg Austin. He let out a heavy sigh. If Animal didn't make it, Meg would go on. She wouldn't let it kill her but she would forever be a broken woman. The shaking sobs had subsided but Meg didn't let go of her friend and rock.

_**Oakville Regional Hospital, Oakville, WI 1715 hrs CST**_

Dr. Winston came out to the waiting room. He looked solemnly at each person in his or her eyes. "Evidently the bullet nicked an vein." He said formally,"This caused a slow bleed that was not detected until his blood pressure dropped so low that his heart wasn't able to function and he flatlined causing a cardiac arrest. We have no idea how long his brain was without oxygen but with the code blue we were unable to retrieve his heartbeat for three minutes and thirty seven seconds. So with the slow bleed it could have been longer than that. You need to be aware that a brain cannot go for much longer than four minutes without some sign of brain damage. Even if he does recover, there will be a long road to recovery unless we have an absolute miracle." They all looked deflated.

"So what does this mean?" Maegyn asked as she fastened an iron gaze at Dr. Winston and Dr Winston wished that he could give her better news.

"It means that if he wakes up at all, he could possibly not remember you or may wake up with a completely different personality... However all of this is just speculation. At this point, we're not sure if he'll wake up at all. He's being transferred to the CICU (Coronary Intensive Care Unit) where we will be monitoring his vitals around the clock."

Maegyn squeezed her eyes tightly shut. Did this mean that Animal would never wake up or if he did that his life would be forever changed and not in a good way. Fate was a fickle bitch, Maegyn thought. All the years she had put into her career as a good man stood by and watched; his own life getting turned upside down due to Navy regulations because of his bravery; his receiving the blue button had yanked him out of what he loved: flying fast jets. And now this injury would take it all away from him. Would he ever be able to set foot inside an aircraft again; to take the controls and let the power of flight give him wings and his freedom again? Animal had lost a lot and Maegyn regretted that she had waited this long to tell him how she felt. Because this had the potential to take everything away. Fate needed to get her ass curb-stomped, Maegyn felt. A silent tear tracked down her cheek as she wondered if the man who held her in his arms; who had made tender love to her; would be the man she saw when he opened his eyes...if...he opened his eyes ever again.

_**DSD Office,**_ _**Naval Station Three Rivers, Oakville, WI**_ 1755_** hrs CST**_

"No response from AFIS yet?" Agent Hollands asked Gibbs who barely acknowledged the other agent with a glance.

"You got the coffee?" Gibbs gruffly asked, as he turned back to the increasingly full box of evidence collected at the scene.

"Like you wanted, Gibbs, straight black as the devil's own heart." Gibbs nodded, taking the proffered coffee from Hollands. Gibbs appreciated the rather bitter taste of the coffee untainted by sugar or milk. Straight up plain coffee; strong enough to make a dead man sit up. He was going to need that extra energy because it didn't look as though this investigation would be wrapping up anytime soon.

"Haven't got anything from AFIS." Gibbs muttered as he took a sip of the coffee appreciatively then pursed his lips as he seemed to contemplate his phone."correction...hadn't gotten anything from AFIS till now. We've gotten a hit on the fingerprints. Looks like our culprit managed to break himself out of the prison in a laundry truck disguised under fifteen pounds of laundry."

"How the hell did he do that?"

"You know the barrels that take the laundry from the prison with the heavy duty staining; the ones they can't get rid of the staining by just tossing them into the heavy-duty wash?" Gibbs commented. "Turns out our UNSUB just hid himself under a pile of laundry and went out with the load of that week's unmentionables."

"So who is our UNSUB?"

"Male, Caucasian, has a penchant for disguises and likes to murder people for fun." Gibbs stated dryly.

"For fun, huh?" Hollands replied just as dryly. He looked worriedly at Gibbs. "This guy's a maniac..."

"...and he has a penchant for going after Rabb." Gibbs said. "He doesn't want to engage with Rabb directly unless he has the upper hand."

"...by going after a man's unprotected back." Hollands said with disgust. "In the Wild West they used to lynch a yellow belly who went at a man behind his back with murderin' intent." He spat his words out. "This UNSUB is nothin' but a damned coward."

"Rooms clean..." Agent El-Amin called out to Gibbs. "Got most of what we could salvage. But he encrypted the rest with a lockout virus."

"Shit!" Hollands growled. "That could take months to decipher."

"...and if DSD can do this, then if they can get access to the Defense computer network, they can lock us out of there as well. Arrest all DSD agents you can find and inform the SECNAV that we have a rogue department." Gibbs ordered.

_**Oakville Regional Hospital, Oakville, WI 1815 hrs CST**_

Animal's room was dark, confining, almost suffocating in its claustrophobic tightness. But with all the life support equipment tucked around him, it seemed that there were monitors for every vital checking up on his physical well-being. Maegyn held Animal's limp hand, bringing it to her cheek. His chest rose and fell with the machine pumping life-giving oxygen to his body. _Wake up...please. _Maegyn pleaded, tears rising to her eyes. Animal had a tube down his throat, his nose and mouth covered by a mask. _He's so still... _The hiss of the oxygen regulator provided a rhythmic interruption to the otherwise dead silence.

Maegyn wasn't willing to give up on him. But the sand through the hourglass of time flowed endlessly as minute upon minute; hour upon hour ticked past; time irrecoverable. She stared at the green squiggle that kept going left to right on the heartbeat monitor, the peaks, the valleys identical in their height and depth, a reassuring sign that his heartbeat was strong and regular, just that his mind was elsewhere; un-reachable. She had seen the sun travel across the sky and reach the horizon, the warming colors of the sunset reaching it's oranges and rose-colored hues through the window. A clearing throat interrupted her.

Looking up, she saw Harm standing by the door. "I wondered if you want to go get something to eat" he asked, unwilling to disturb her vigil except by necessity.

"Who will watch him?" She asked indicating with a toss of her head back towards the occupied hospital bed.

"I will..." Meg stated calmly, trying to keep her jealousy in check. "I'll let you know if anything changes."

Maegyn looked at her suspiciously, gauging her sincerity; but ultimately acquiesced. Maegyn did however think there was something strange about Meg's propensity to hang around Animal's bedside and her apparent grief that manifested itself. She resolved to ask Harm about Meg and what seemed to be her over-reaction over Animal's injury. Maegyn found Meg to be an unknown quantity and that raised her suspicions.

"What's with LCDR Austin?" Maegyn asked.

"What do you mean, Irish?"

"Don't play games with me, Hammer. Why does she seem to be so emotionally distraught?!" Harm looked over at her as they headed to the hospital cafeteria. Maegyn aimed a fire-filled glare at him. "Is there something going on between the two of them? While I was gone?!" Harm started to feel a bit like a skeet on a skeet-shooting range, if skeet had feelings. "Should I be worried about how faithful Animal is to me?"

"No!" Harm said forcefully with enough vehemence to make Maegyn jump. "Animal would never betray your trust as long as he comes out the other side with his memory intact. Maegyn. He loves you. Don't start doubting his faithfulness or you'll start doubting everything your relationship ever stood for."

"So why is she acting like she's the bereft one?"

Harm looked at Maegyn square on. "Maegyn. Meg thinks highly of Animal. She and I did the Medal of Honor investigation for Animal six years ago." He looked at Maegyn to see her reaction.

"She hero-worships him?" Maegyn asked.

"Not so much hero-worship but feels a connection there." Harm said as he gauged Maegyn's reaction to the news.

"Connection?" Maegyn's tone was one of disbelief. "You believe in emotional connections and that kind of malarkey; that everyone is interconnected with an emotional bond? The only connections between one person and another of equal age is that of friendship or if two people choose to get intimate; that of a lover. You can't have multiple bonds of intimate intensity or things get complicated."

_Things are complicated. _Harm thought to himself as he looked over at Maegyn. _More so than you realize. Irish, my friend. Humans are incredibly complex beings and the number of emotional interconnections that one can make are endless. _But Harm just chose to say. "Sometimes relationships grow and mature and other times they wither due to neglect but bonds are still there. Sometimes you just need to devote some attention to a relationship to grow it again."

"You know sometimes you're as enigmatic as a Buddha statue? Harm?" Maegyn growled.

"If Animal comes out of this; he's got a long, hard road to recovery..." Harm inclined his head towards Maegyn hating himself for what he was going to say. "With your career in mind; can you honestly devote your time to him to insure that he recovers one hundred percent?"

"...what are you saying, Harm?"

"Will you walk that long, hard road with him; holding him up if he stumbles, making sure that he finds his way?" Harm held her gaze with his intensity. He owed it to Animal; his mentor. "He's going to need someone that will not only love him for who he was but for who he is, no matter who comes out of that coma." He broke his gaze for a brief moment to stare at the sun going down. "Someone...who puts his well being ahead of her career."

Maegyn was silent for a long moment weighing her response.

"I guess I have my answer." Harm stated flatly as he got up out of his seat and walked back the way he had come...alone.

"Wait! Harm!"

_**Oakville Regional Hospital, Oakville, WI 1900 hrs CST**_

The shadows in the darkening room were starting to lengthen. But Meg opted to sit in the darkened room mulling on her thoughts as she watched the still form of the man she admitted to herself that she had a passion for. The incessant hiss of the oxygen regulator and pump on the wall was the only noise that told Meg that Animal was alive. She didn't know if that was grief-inducing or whether it was relief that Animal was still alive. A knock on the door caused her to look up. "Ma'am. Did you need anything?" Bud's face was drawn and tired looking. He didn't know the captain very well but what the sight of the captain motionless in his hospital bed hooked up to life support was doing to Lieutenant Commander Rabb worried Bud endlessly.

Harm had a deep emotional connection to the mentors and loved ones in his life. Seeing his mentor incapacitated was an emotional upheaval for Harm. Seeing Harm in emotional upheaval over his mentor was causing the sensitive Bud Roberts to have an emotional cataclysm in his heart.

Meg said,"just get me an Turkey sandwich and a cup of coffee. I don't think I can eat much." She got the words around a tight lump in her throat. The tears in Meg's eyes made Bud lose his composure which was already on a teetering ledge.

"Please, sir. You know what this is doing to Commander Rabb, sir." Bud said addressing the comatose captain. "...and to Commanders Austin and O'Bannon." He wiped his eyes. "goddamnit, sir. You have to wake up! Wake up...sir...please." Meg got out of her chair; in two steps, wrapped her arms around the shaking Bud Roberts who knelt down beside Animal's still form and whispered. "Please...sir. Fight for them..." He wiped his eyes then looked at Meg "Ma'am, you have to eat something substantial. I can't see you like this... you're going to grieve yourself into ill-health."

Lia came to the door. "Meg, I'll watch him for you." She said gently. "You need to go eat something. Keep your strength up. We don't know how long this vigil is going to be for. And you won't be doing any good to yourself if you crash because you didn't eat properly." Meg nodded in response and let Bud lead her out the door.

Lia went over to sit in a chair. The occasional beeps of the life-support machine were an audible interruption into the otherwise oppressive silence. She looked over at the still form of Captain Nakamura and reached out to hold his hand. Wrapping her fingers around his hand she gently squeezed then released the pressure. "I don't know how long you're planning on lazing about here." She said playfully. "But you remember that you used to chew out anyone who slacked off. Why should they listen to you,sir, if they see you like this." She teased and sighed. "I don't know if you can hear me, sir. But you got to fight this thing." She worked the chair closer to his bed with one hand, trying to avoid the life-support equipment that kept Captain Nakamura alive. "Meg's gone to get something to eat but she'll be back soon. She worries about you, you know. Everybody does. Harm's worried, your girlfriend is worried. So is Bud."

"...and what about you?" Lia looked up startled to see Harm standing in the doorway. "It's OK to say that you're concerned for him too." Harm said softly. "It's OK to feel worried about him too."

_But I don't even like him. _Lia's mind protested. _He's not someone I care about. _

"He's a friend who's hurt. It's OK to worry. At least you're not thinking that he's the devil incarnate..." Harm quipped. Lia gave him a nasty look in response to that.

"I never thought of him as devil incarnate, Harm. I just thought that he was a pompous ass, full of himself and that his medals were more for show than substance. But I know differently now. He went to back up Gibbs without making a complaint. He went ahead and put his own life in danger without using his eagles to delegate the task to one of us. He could have told one of us to go into danger's way, but he didn't. So..." Lia stated, looking down at him. "I feel like I misjudged him." She looked over at Harm. "His bravery was what put him in that hospital bed." She looked out at the sunset as the first half of Sol dipped below the horizon.

"He and I flew together in the Gulf War." Harm looked at Lia gravely. "We flew fifty sorties over Kuwait and Iraq: Operations Desert Storm and Southern Watch. We were both there when it kicked off. Zero dark thirty launches, flying in flak so thick you could walk on it. He taught me how to fight in the Tomcat. He's a four-time MiG Killer. Everything I knew about flying the F-14 came from him."

"Then who was the Hawk?"

"Lieutenant Gary "Hawk" Hochhausen was my flight school instructor before I got my wings. He taught me my baby steps. The T-2C Buckeye; my first mount at Pensacola." Harm had a far-off look in his eye. "I may have learned to fly from the Hawk but my aerial combat finishing school was with Animal..." He said, "Keeter, Sturgis and Luke may have been my friends but Animal; he's like an older brother to me; protecting me, pushing me to do better; to go harder every time we went up to fly; all the while believing in me that I could do it. We knew that every mission we went on could be our last." Harm looked down at his comatose friend. "The shit hit the fan during my nugget cruise with Desert Storm." He nodded over to the hospital bed. "Animal kept me from getting my ass shot down over Iraq. I got my first and only MiG kill with his instruction. I remember it clearly. It was a Flogger." Harm paused a long moment, rubbing his eyes. "He kept the Iraqi's leading ace off my six or I wouldn't have been around to take up law. He's not a blowhard. In a later sortie he went head to head with the Su-27 that the leading Iraqi ace was flying. They got into it at Angels 35. By the time the fight was over; Animal's F-14 was smoking in the left engine; there were holes through his vertical stabilizers large enough to put a watermelonthrough and the leading Iraqi ace was just a smoking hole. I still don't know how he made it back to the Seahawk, but he did. I owe him my life dozens of times over."

Lia looked at him, "Between your father and your 'older brother' here you had some incredible mentors..."

"You can count the Hawk in there too. I hated having to put him down...take him out of the cockpit but he broke the code of honor." Harm looked solemn. "I didn't want to do it but he cheated on his eye exam and that cost the life of a woman and her child. There was no other way..." He looked at her, sadness in his eyes. "He had to pay the price for what he did but I'll never forget what he taught an student aviator all those years ago."

Lia looked curiously at Harm, "...and what was that?"

"Never go halfway. Always give it one hundred percent. Because the enemy won't go easy on you." He paused. "Gary Hochhausen taught me that and Animal drilled it into me till it became gospel at RAG."

"So that's why Cqptain Nakamura had a picture of you and him standing on the wing of an F-14 Tomcat on his shelf at NAVINSGEN HQ." Lia commented. "You flew together."

Harm nodded. "The naval aviator community is a brotherhood; whether men or women. We are tightly knit together. We have to believe in each other. Every man and woman who wears those Navy wings of gold are our brothers and we trust in each other to watch our six and keep it clear of the enemy." He stated with fervor.

Lia patted the chair beside her and motioned to Harm to come sit down. He did; wrapping his arm around Lia's shoulder, embracing her as she held his hand with her left and Animal's with her right.

The nurse came in to check Animal's vitals and wrote down the time on a chart. "You are aware that visiting hours are over at ten PM?" She asked. Harm looked at his watch. Only two more hours till they had to leave. He didn't want to have to leave especially with a maniac on the loose who had gunned down Animal and could possibly come back to finish him off.

"Does the hospital shut down or can we stay in the waiting room?" Harm asked.

The nurse looked at him as if he was nuts. "You can stay in the waiting room but the seating is uncomfortable and you'd be better off at your own place or a hotel."

"Ma'am I think I'd rather stay close at hand." Harm replied.

"Suit yourself..." The nurse stated as she headed out of the room. "Just remember ten o'clock. Be out of his room."

"One hundred negative points for bedside manner." Lia said sarcastically once 'Nurse Ratched' had left the room. Harm barely managed to hold in a burst of laughter.

"At least the waiting room is close by Animal's room." Harm said as they sat quietly together watching the oxygen regulator rise and fall accompanied by the rise and fall of Animal's chest. There were no words to say as the last light of the sun faded and left the sky a deep navy blue as the dark moved in to take over the sky.

"Am I disturbing anything?" Harm looked up to see Meg back from the cafeteria. Her face looked drawn and tired. "I saw Commander O'Bannon leave to find herself a hotel." She said quietly. "She didn't say anything to me." Harm shrugged his shoulders as if to say he didn't know why she didn't stick around. "Bud got a taxi and headed back to the hotel. I told him I'm staying here."

"Visiting hours end at twenty two hundred." Harm commented and lowered his voice. "Nurse Ratched came in and told us so." Meg affixed Harm with a look of disbelief. "So after 2200 we go sit in the waiting room. I'm not leaving with the maniac who shot Animal not in custody." Meg didn't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that Harm meant he wasn't about to leave Animal defenseless.

"We found out who the shooter is." Meg, Lia and Harm looked up startled to see Gibbs and Hollands standing by the door. "It's Clark Palmer."

Harm stiffened. "If that's the case then Captain Nakamura is still in danger from the shooter. Palmer doesn't like leaving the job unfinished. And since he's my friend, Palmer will want to take him out." Indicating the captain lying in the hospital bed with a nod in his direction, Harm continued. "And right now Captain Nakamura is an easy target for Palmer."

Gibbs and Hollands both nodded; their fingers curling reflexively. Their sidearms were on their person. As were Lieutenant Commander Rabb's and the JAGs carrying theirs. The hospital staff may not have liked it, but they were not leaving nor were they surrendering their firearms.

_**DSD Office,**_ _**Naval Station Three Rivers, Oakville, WI**_ _**2055 hrs CST **_

Clark Palmer looked through binoculars at the DSD building. He could see the NCIS agents scurrying in and out of the building like little ants. And each seemed to be carrying something; either computer equipment or boxes of files. And each one of them was armed with their Sig-Sauer P228 9mm sidearms. He looked down at his trusty Glock 17 but he knew that the second he poked his head up there would be a fusillade of bullets fired on his position. He didn't have the sniper rifle to take them out from the location he was at almost half a mile from where the building was located. But being able to observe also meant he had clear line of sight if sniping ever became an option.

Palmer was also slightly annoyed. The NCIS had disrupted his carefully laid plan to extort billions to unlock the files he was going to encrypt in the national defense network computers. Files that he planned to make available to the Russians for a princely sum. Who knew that words on paper held such power and potential wealth?

But he could salvage this problem. He had copies of the LockerRoom virus in various thumb drives in secure places all over the country. He knew that if he stayed in this area that the possibility of arrest rose exponentially. It became idiotic to tempt the lions in this manner if he didn't need to. His egress was ultimately subject to how alert those lions were. There were numerous alleyways and egress points from the base that the military wasn't aware of. Several which he had created himself. He eased himself up from the rooftop surveillance point and headed for the building entrance from the roof. To most people he was just another government suit on base and no one hassled him. In this manner he was able to leave the base unassailed. And another fifty three minutes later he was on a plane headed out of Wisconsin.

_**Oakville Regional Hospital, Oakville, WI 2150 hrs CST**_

"Ten minutes...till visiting hours over." The disagreeable voice of the lady nurse that Lia had monikered as Nurse Ratched assailed Harm's ears. "Better start movin' yourselves to the waiting room." Harm swore silently that the nurse had the bedside manner of Josef Mengele.

Lia shook her head in disbelief as the woman, she swore, goose-stepped her way out of the hospital room, her heels clicking a staccato cadence on the tiled floor. All Nurse Ratched needed was a set of knee high black leather boots, and an olive-grey high-neck uniform and Schirmmütze and she would be a perfect Nazi. The comical illustration in her mind's eye made her giggle in mirth.

"What's so funny?" Harm asked; his mouth quirking up in a slight grin.

"I was just thinking of her in a Nazi uniform goose stepping down the hospital corridor." She whispered so that no one except Harm could hear her and snickered. Harm nearly burst out in laughter.

They sat down in the waiting room as Dr. Winston sans white coat stopped in front of them. "Lieutenant Commander Rabb?" He waited till he had Harm's full attention. "Captain Nakamura's vitals seem to be holding steady. There may be some brain damage but we won't know how extensive until such time as we deem it safe to bring him out of his induced coma. After his cardiac arrest he has been unresponsive but the activity on the brainwave monitor is reassuring. It means that his brain is communicating. But the communication lines, his neural pathways, are temporarily blocked. I think we will keep him under at least a week and if there are no changes for the worse, we will start slowly bringing him out of the coma."

Harm nodded.

Dr. Winston asked "Now I don't want to consider that there may be an adverse situation but we do need to discuss the matter. Should he not respond to being pulled out of the coma, we need to determine if it may be necessary to think about notifying next of kin for advanced directives as to the steps we would take in terms of his care. Do we know who his next of kin are?

Harm took a deep breath then spoke "His mother and father are not alive any more." He looked over at Meg and Lia. "He has left instructions that in case of full incapacitation where there is no...uh...hope of his being anything but in a persistent vegetative state; that he wants no heroic measures taken to keep him alive." Meg's sharp intake of breath startled Harm. She hadn't known about that. But Animal had known that the man he considered his 'younger brother' would remember that. "He told me that and he asked me to put that into writing with his signature and mine. He wouldn't want a life where he had no way to experience life fully. He said it would be like living in a coffin waiting to die." Harm whispered just loudly enough for Dr. Winston, Lia and Meg to hear. "...but if it were solely up to me, I'd say do anything to keep him alive." Dr. Winston nodded.

"I understand, Commander Rabb. Sometime the hardest decision is not to decide whether one lives or dies but the decision inside yourself to let that person go." He stated as Harm nodded. "But let's hope that we don't have to come to that decision." Dr. Winston nodded to Harm as he turned to go.

When he had left, Meg turned to Harm, crumpled into his arms. "But…I don't want to let him go…" she said, her face crumpling, tears coming down her cheeks. "I can't let him go…"


	25. Chapter 23

_**Author's Note: **__Yes, I know, I'm an evil bastard. Love triangle. ~evil laughter~. Seriously though. Sometimes the people who are supposed to help you get through the tough times just don't have what it takes. _

_No...despite the tone of the ending of this chapter. It's not the end of the story ~evil laughter~ just picture a fifties radio announcer reading that. _

_**Oakville Regional Hospital, Oakville, WI 1245 hrs CST five days later**_

Harm was damned near exhaustion as he gazed over at Animal's bed where Maegyn O'Bannon was sitting and the opposite side of the bed where Meg was standing. Maegyn was not happy about Meg's presence nor was joy at the sight of her rival reciprocated on Meg's part as she elected to glare daggers at Maegyn when the other wasn't looking. Maegyn was having to do some serious soul-searching to figure out what she wanted in life, from what Harm could see, and it appeared that some of that soul-searching wasn't all too palatable on her part judging from the look on Maegyn's face.

Harm was tense and his body posture reflected it; shoulders forward, arms straight down; fists clenched. Dr. Winston had told him the brain wave monitor had not fluctuated and it was showing strong electrical signals. If they slowly withdrew the dosage of anesthetic keeping him in that medically induced coma, it was assumed that he would slowly respond given time. Dr. Winston had warned him that it might take the better part of a full seventy two hours for the patient to respond so to not worry or get one's hopes up for a quick recovery.

Meg just looked down at Animal wondering if it would be the last time she ever looked upon his face. She knew that it would be a long road for Captain Nakamura if he came out of the medically induced coma and survived forty-eight hours without incident.

Bud had gone to help the NCIS group with their data collection and dissemination of that info into a concise package to be used in court and Bud didn't want a loophole to hamper a conviction. His demeanour was that of a man on a mission, just the way Harm had taught him to dig for the truth. So in that regard Harm was Bud's mentor. Bud wanted to nail the person who shot Animal to the wall in court, but Harm knew for a fact that it wouldn't come down to court when it came time to deal with the perpetrator.

Dr. Winston moved to the machine that kept the drip of IV anesthetic going into Animal's veins, that kept him medically sedated in a coma. Dialing down the drip, he lessened the amount going into Animal's body. "We'll keep reducing the amount over the next twenty four hours down to zero and within seventy-two hours of that, we should see some response on his part. His body appears to be healing, and there is no sign of further damage, so we will continue to monitor him and hopefully he will respond."

Maegyn looked at her lover comatose in the bed and sighed heavily. Harm nodded to her and spoke. "There's nothing else that we can do until such time as he gives a response to the reduced dosage of anesthetic going into him. We need to get some lunch." He opined.

"Yeah, I guess so." Maegyn responded.

Harm looked over at Meg who seemed reluctant to leave Animal. "So what do you want?" he asked indicating that Meg needed to eat. Meg just looked at him in reply. "Just get me what's on the main menu at the cafeteria. I'm going to stay here with him." Maegyn raised an eyebrow at that, almost saying something, but Harm took her by the arm and led her away.

_How often did she show up and care for him? _Meg thought to herself as she looked over at Animal's comatose form. _How often did Commander O'Bannon even show the slightest bit of regard for his well-being rather than just using him as an outlet for sating her own physical needs._ Meg's emotions were in a turmoil as she reached for Animal's limp hand and took it in her own, pulling it close to her body and clinging to it. "I should have told you…how much I cared for you…" Meg said softly, her voice barely audible, "When we were on the Nimitz." She stated softly, hoping that he heard her admission; leaning into the hospital bed. "I need you to come back to me…Tosh…I'm not leaving you…" she whispered brokenly. "I'm not whole without you." She buried her face in the blankets, that smelled of Animal and wept.

It was to this tableau of grief that Harm returned about fifteen minutes later, a tray of food in his hands; the sight of his dear friend and former legal partner, Meg, face buried in the blankets, crying her eyes out, both her hands holding Animal's left hand to her chest.

"Meg…" he gently urged her, tapping her softly on the shoulder. "Meg…you have to eat."

Meg looked up at him with a tear-stained face. "Harm…" she said, her voice trembling, "I need him…I need him to wake up…" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"I know…it's going to take time. They're lowering it gradually so that they can wean him off. Otherwise, he's going to go into withdrawal: they're habit-forming if not used correctly. These are barbiturates…" he looked at the tag on the IV bag. "This is thiopental."

"That's the same drug they use in lethal injections." Meg said, her voice firming. "But they use it here to keep him under so that his body can heal?"

Harm reassured her with a casual touch of her arm. "It's carefully monitored so that he doesn't get an overdose. Meg."

Meg nodded, "I know, but everything has me on edge lately." Harm noticed that she hadn't let go of Animal's hand.

"I brought you some food. Maybe you can manage to get some food into you today?"

"I'll try, Harm." Meg said, her eyes looked wet still. "I'll try my best…"

"Promise me." Harm said intensely. "I don't need you in the hospital because you collapsed." He rested his hand on her shoulder firmly. "Please…eat the food."

"OK, Harm." Meg said letting go of Animal's hand long enough to take some food into her stomach, while Harm watched over the both of them. "I'll eat. For hospital food, it's not bad." She commented.

"Better than starvation." Harm replied. "I can get something nearby if you want something other than hospital food."

Meg looked up at him gratefully "Thanks, Harm. I don't know what I'd do without a good friend like you." Harm looked at her sadly; it cut him that she only considered him a good friend, but she was intent that Animal was her soul-mate and he wouldn't interfere. Besides he had Liandra who he cared about a lot. He sighed softly and silently wished Meg well; and hoped that Animal would wake up and find out who he really cared for.

_**Oakville Regional Hospital Cafeteria, Oakville Regional Hospital, Oakville, WI 1335 hrs CST**_

Maegyn looked at Lia as they sat in the cafeteria eating. "Is LCDR Austin always this emotional about her friends?" Maegyn asked.

Lia looked at Maegyn for a long moment gauging her sincerity. "Are you asking me why LCDR Austin is concerned about Captain Nakamura?" she paused for a long moment. "All I know is that Meg knew Captain Nakamura on the Nimitz when they were doing the investigation for Captain Nakamura's Medal of Honor and that they talked about things that they each wanted in life. But all I know is what Harm has deigned to tell me. Meg seems to be pretty closed off about certain things and Captain Nakamura is one of them." Lia returned back to her eating.

This didn't reassure Maegyn much as she ran her eyes across the cafeteria watching the people going to and fro from the refrigerated shelves loaded down with food to the cashier then to the tables. The bustle of activity just seemed to increase Maegyn's stress-load. She tried to concentrate on her food, but was only able to put down a few bites of the food that she had picked out from the hospital cafeteria selection. It wasn't very appetizing and the food seemed rather tasteless and dry, reheated from a frozen state and packaged up to make it seem palatable. Maegyn's worry was more along the lines of the fact that Lieutenant Commander Austin was sniffing around Animal and she wondered if there really wasn't more to LCDR Austin than what Lia was planning on telling her.

She had to wonder though that Harm wasn't as friendly as he was earlier. It seemed as if he was trying to protect Animal…from her, though she couldn't understand why. It wasn't as if she was out to harm Animal.

Lia looked over at the commander who seemed as though a lot of gear-turning in her head was going on. "My mother was a nurse, Commander. She worked in trauma, in the ER…before she transferred to cardiac post-operative care. She's seen a lot of code-blues, resuscitations and not all of them go well. You need to understand that not everything goes as planned and the resuscitations can sometimes go awry. Are you willing to cope with the fact that the Captain Nakamura that awakes from this coma could possibly not be the Captain Nakamura that you remember?" Lia infused as much compassion into her words as she could, but she had to lay the truth out on the line. "He may not regain what memories he lost, he may have a different personality altogether; one that might not mesh with yours." Lia said to her…matching her gaze, eye for eye. "The Captain Nakamura that comes out of the coma may not ever be able to fly again; and he will not take that well. You live for flying and Captain Nakamura did too. And he may never be able to reconcile the fact that he had the ability and lost it. You need to understand that. He may even reject you because you stand for all that he's lost."

Maegyn's mind was shouting _No…it can't be_. But she realized the blunt truth of the matter. If Animal couldn't fly again because of the extent of his injuries and the mental impairment that could result, he would push her away because he wouldn't be able to cope with the loss of freedom. "So, you're saying that it's better to walk away from him now?" she bit out.

"What you do is your decision, Commander, but I suggest you take a good long look at what damage it would potentially do to Captain Nakamura." Lia stared her straight in the face. "It's going to be a long hard road to recovery and as Harm probably said to you, it's going to require someone with the fortitude to stand with him all the way. So what you need to do, ma'am, is figure out whether you have that within yourself to go the distance with him. If not, then move out of the way so that someone else who does, can have him."

Maegyn recoiled like she was struck.

_**Oakville Regional Hospital, Oakville, WI 1800 hrs CST 2 days later.**_

_It seemed as though he was in a fog; the tight feeling in the chest, he could see a mist around him and he felt as though he was floating. He looked around to see nothing but the whitish grey mist floating around him. He felt if he breathed too hard, that he would propel himself away from the mist. It seemed a nothingness from which there was no exit. A tightness in his throat made it hard to breathe. And a misty dark form materialized beside him. He recoiled from the presence and another much lighter and much brighter presence materialized between him and the dark presence. _

"_I need you, Tosh…" A female voice interrupted the presences. "Come back to me, Tosh. I'm not whole without you…" _

_The voice seemed familiar but his brain seemed to be disconnected. He couldn't remember whose voice it was. It seemed like a mix of voices all resounding in his head. _

_Then the dark presence receded; almost recoiled from the sound of the voice and the lighter presence grew even stronger. "You have a choice to make…" the presence said. "You can choose to come with me, or you can go back to where you belong; to live out the rest of your life…" _

"_I have a choice?" he responded to the presence. _

"_You do, but the choice will involve difficulty should you choose to go back. Life will be hard, you will make some sacrifices but you will ultimately find the happiness you deserve." The light presence stated. "But if you do make the choice to come with me, you will find a peace eternal, but you will never be able to know the true happiness that waited for you should you have chosen the harder path. Take some time to think…and when you have made your decision; choose to fight for what you deserve." With that both presences were gone. But a voice still remained. _

"_I need you to come back to me…Tosh…I'm not leaving you…_ _I need you to come back to me…Tosh…I'm not leaving you… I need you to come back to me…Tosh…I'm not leaving you…" it repeated. It was a tender voice; heartbreakingly poignant, one of loss and hope mixed into one. _

"_Have you made your decision?" the light presence asked. It had returned. _

"_I choose to go back…" he decided. _

"_A wise choice, my son…" and in that moment, the light presence took on the face of his long-dead father, embracing him. "Choose to fight, my son. Fight for what you deserve. Never give up…never give up…never give up…" _

Animal felt as though he was choking and gagged violently. "DOCTOR!" A female voice shouted beside him, his head felt as though it was about to split. "his tube out before he chokes."

The on-call duty doctor rushed over and swiftly removed the tube…as Animal caught his breath and slumped back down on the bed… "…what…happened…" he croaked, barely audible, his throat burning, looking up to see a redhead standing beside his bed holding his hand. A redhead with blue eyes; she looked familiar…but he couldn't think, it felt as though there was a pressure in the back of his head. Another redhead, with green eyes rushed into the room. He peered at her with a look of indecision. "He's awake, Maegyn." The redhead with blue eyes said to the redhead with green eyes.

"Who…are…you?" Animal croaked. "…do…I…know…you…?" The redhead-green-eyes the redhead with the blue-eyes called Maegyn looked stricken.

"Animal…" she whispered, her voice breaking.

He looked blankly at her. His name was Tosh, not Animal. None of them was the voice that he remembered. The one that drew him out of his coma. The one who said that she needed him.

"There will be some memory loss." A man dressed in a white coat that went down past his waist said.

"Who…are…you?" Animal repeated, his voice barely audible, and he looked panicked.

"I'm your doctor, you were shot and went into a medically induced coma to heal." The doctor said , "I'm Doctor Winston."

"Don'need'doc…go 'way." He mumbled, his voice hoarse, his mind confused.

A tall man with dark hair stepped into the room. "Animal, you're awake." He looked puzzled as to Animal's confused expression. "It's me…Harm."

"Who are you?" he asked, confused. Everyone kept calling him Animal and he couldn't understand why and where was the voice who drew him back. She wasn't in this room. And he couldn't remember these people who said that they knew him.

Then he saw her, a tall blonde female with blue eyes. "You're awake…" she whispered softly, tears spilling from her eyes. _The voice, who called him back_. "Tosh…" she whispered again. "You came back…" The redhead with green eyes glared at the blonde and left the room quickly. The redhead with blue eyes left quickly after the redhead with green eyes. The one who called himself Harm said, "This woman is Meg." as he gestured to the blonde angelic vision.

Animal replied hoarsely. "Me-eg? Call you…Angel." He whispered.

Meg blushed and moved to his side. "I'm here, Tosh…" He startled suddenly as Meg reached for his hand, but settled down when Meg took his hand in both of hers and pulled it to her chest, right above her breasts in an intimate gesture. Harm looked away.

"We need to have an angiogram and a CT Scan of his brain."

"NO!" Animal vehemently said.

"Sweetheart…" Meg said soothingly. "You have to…we need to know how bad things are…so that we can make you feel better."

Animal shook his head.

"Please…for me…" Meg pleaded, holding his hand tightly. "Please…so that I know what to do to make you better."

"OK…but…don't…wanna." He mumbled reluctantly, almost like a three year old.

Harm said to the doctor. "How long do you think he's going to be like this?"

"That's hard to say…considering that there is bound to be some damage to his brain. "He may get back between 80% and 90% of his cognitive function back, but it's hard to tell without a CT-scan and whether some of this may be as a residual of the drugs that have put him under." Dr. Winston replied. "He suffered from Ischemic hypoxia, simply put, lack of oxygen to the brain, due to the internal bleed in his chest, so we need to have the CT Scan to see exactly how much damage he sustained from the lack of oxygenated blood."

Harm shook his head. _This was bad_ and Meg had, willingly, stepped right into caring for Animal. It was going to be hard for her, but he and Lia would do everything they could to help Meg care for Animal.

"How about we let him rest." Dr. Winston said. "…and I can let you know what our options are, now that he is awake."

"No…go…" Animal panicking, clung to Meg like a burr.

"I'm not leaving." Meg declared to Dr. Winston. "He needs me."

"When can he be transferred to Bethesda?" Harm asked. "He needs to be closer to home, while we wrap up this investigation."

"I'm going with him." Meg declared. "Admiral Morris can give me leave to take care of him. I haven't used any of my accrued leave and I intend to use it with Tosh. If the admiral doesn't like it; I'll resign!"

_**Oakville Regional Hospital, Oakville, WI 1835 hrs CST**_

Lia found Maegyn in one of the washrooms of the hospital looking at the mirror; tears flooding her face. "I guess you told me." She said bitterly as she turned around to look at Lia. "He doesn't even remember me."

Lia replied, trying not to sound heartless. "Commander, he lost oxygen for over three and a half minutes. Did you honestly believe that he would come out of that with no memory loss and unscathed?" She looked at Maegyn. "Understand that he will need a lot of care until he gets back his memory; what memory that can be recovered. And it will be a miracle if he even gets back to three quarters of what he was before this happened."

"It's hard to picture him like this; the way he was. He was alive and so...vibrant."

Lia stared at Maegyn. "He is still alive, he can talk and he's still capable of functioning; just that he needs help. The way he responded was a better sign than anything that he can recover. But to expect him to be at the same capacity that he was before the injury is asking for disappointment."

Maegyn was silent.

"If you can't get beyond what he was before this; then do yourself a favor and go back to flying; forget he even exists." Lia told her flatly. "He deserves someone who will stick by him; not fold when the chips are down. You need to decide whether you love him enough to stick by with him while he recovers or do the right thing and let go. It's your choice but in the end your choice will affect not only you but him." She turned and walked out of the bathroom.

Maegyn stood gazing into the mirror for a long time before she made her choice.

_**Oakville Regional Hospital, Oakville, WI 1914 hrs CST**_

Harm looked up to see Liandra walking in. "Where's Maegyn?" He asked. "Did she go somewhere?"

"I had a chat with her." Lia said simply as she looked over at Meg resting her head on Animal's shoulder and smirked. Animal was sleeping again; a lot easier it seemed and the room was silent without the oxygen regulator going twenty four-seven. Meg and Animal seemed the intimate couple and Meg looked like the dutiful wife with an expression of _at last; _and an air of contentment on her face. Lia smirked as the thought went through her mind.

"Oh?" Harm asked questioningly.

"She left for Fallon". Lia stated matter of fact. "Probably didn't think she could cut it being nursemaid to Captain Nakamura. Lucky for him he found someone who would..." She said looking at the intimate tableau and grinned. "Think we should leave them be?"

"Probably..." Harm got up out of his seat as Meg opened her eyes. He assured Meg that they were going down to the cafeteria to get something to eat. "Did you need anything?"

"Starbucks grande mocha latte?" Meg begged with a happier look on her face.

"OK." Harm grinned. "I'll see if I can pick you up something other than hospital food."

"Thanks, Harm." Meg replied.

When they left, Meg settled back in her chair, holding Animal's hand. "Please get better." She whispered.

Animal dozed restlessly as he fought his way back to consciousness again. Again Meg was there to calm him. "I'm not leaving." Meg said as she held his hand, bringing it up to her lips. "I want you strong and whole again. And I'm going to do everything possible to help you get there." Animal ceased his restless tossing and turning and settled down.

Meg asked Dr. Winston if she could stay with Captain Nakamura as he seemed to settle down with her being present. About an hour and a half later Meg looked up to see Harm re-enter the hospital room. Harm grinned as he brought a bag of food and some of her clothes from the hotel so that she could change over. Lia offered to hold Animal's hand to keep him calm while Meg went to take a quick shower so she could get into a fresh change of clothes. Coming back out of the bathroom in Animal's hospital room toweling her freshly washed hair, she leaned over the bed and dropped a kiss on Animal's lips. She heard a soft "angel" whispered from Animal's lips. She blushed as Lia looked up and grinned at her.

"You've got him wrapped around your finger, Meg." Lia teased.

"I do not..." Meg protested as she came around the end of the bed and retrieved Animal's hand from Lia.

"Sure..." Lia gave Meg a disbelieving smirk as she looked over at Animal lying on the bed, his hand clutched in Meg's hand, an innocent smile on his face. Animal looked like a little kid with his contented expression as he slept again.

_**Oakville Regional Hospital, Oakville, WI 1000 hrs CST Four **__**Days Later.**_

"So bored. I want to get out of here." Animal muttered to himself as he looked over at Meg who smiled indulgently at him. His brain injury appeared to be healing with remarkable efficiency even though he had memory lapses and sometimes appeared confused. The CT scan showed very few grey areas on Animal's brain and what appeared to be damaged appeared to be mapping new neural pathways to help create connections between information stored in each lobe of the brain.

"Dr. Winston and Dr. Winthrop both said that you should be able to be transferred to Bethesda via a MediFlight sometime in the next three days. You're still on IV so you can't take any solids until the doctors say you can..." Meg replied.

"I presume...they need to check...and make sure...my stomach...isn't perforated?" Animal said sourly; his voice was still hoarse from the breathing tube that had been removed. They hadn't had to use a tracheotomy but they'd had to put a endo-tracheal tube down his thoat into his lungs to help him breathe while in the coma.

"I think they fixed that. Sweetheart." Meg said coming over and kissing him again. "You're just going to have to be patient."

"If I'm any more patient..." Animal grumbled; his voice crackly and slow. "They might...mistake me for a tree...and plant me." He muttered caustically. "I just want out of here."

Meg enfolded her arm s around Animal. "I know, honey, I know." She soothed him.

She was going to ask Dr. Winston when he was going to do a stomach x-ray or whatever to find out if Tosh was well enough to start eating again. Animal was complaining about the dull ache in his arm from the IV needle. While he was getting sustenance from the IV, it was barely enough and he was losing weight. If they could remove the IV and get him back on solid food; at least then he could occupy his time trying to eat. And then Meg would have to deal with a whole new host of complaints from Animal about how disgusting hospital food was. Meg grinned in anticipation. It didn't matter. She would tackle those problems when they cropped up.

Footsteps outside his door caused Animal to look up. "D-doctor Winston?" He greeted the doctor slowly. Dr. Winston greeted him, a smile unfolding as he looked over Animal.

"You've progressed a long ways since you've been conscious. Your neural pathways are starting to reconstruct themselves and we feel that there is a better than eighty percent chance that you will regain ninety to ninety-five percent of your pre-accident abilities." Dr. Winston informed him.

Animal nodded slowly. "And the headaches;...will they...go away soon."

"Part of the reason you get these headaches is because there's construction going on in your head to put it simply. They're building new superhighways for the information to move around and while they're building you are going to get headaches. Best thing is to take some Tylenol and rest if your head starts to hurt. Is it hurting now?"

"A little bit...but nothing I...can't handle." Animal said, his speech slow and halting a bit. "Doc, when...can I start eating...solids?" Animal asked, his hands were still a bit shaky.

"Well i'm going to set up both a CT scan and a ultrasound to make sure that what lacerations there were are sufficiently healed enough that you can eat solid foods without fear of stomach rupture."

"Yeah...last thing...I need" Animal said slowly and laughed. Meg patted him on the shoulder.

"If every thing looks clear we can have you MediFlighted to Bethesda by Friday this week. Sound good?" Dr. Winston said cheerfully.

"What...about air-pressure...on h-human p-physiology?" He struggled to get the words out that he used to be able to pronounce relatively easily in the past. "Air-pressure...on human organs. Less air pressure on organs...as you rise...above...sea-level. I was a pilot." He managed to get out; he still had problems remembering words but the doctor knowing that it was better to be patient while Animal sought out the words and in turn helped rebuild his own linguistic knowledge. Meg did the same. And even though it was frustrating for him to stand and stammer while searching for the words it was better than learning how to speak all over again. "Air-pressure...fifteen thousand feet... Half of sea-level...organs expand...get bigger? No chance...of burst...if healing from...laceration?" He looked at Dr. Winston.

"You have a good point..." Dr. Winston replied. "Would an Ambulance work better? Will take longer too." And LCDR Austin will still be able to go with you."

"Might be...better than having...stomach rupture...at thirty-five...thousand feet..." Animal stated. "And it would be nice... to take a scenic... drive back to... Bethesda... with my angel." He looked at Meg who smiled tenderly back at him. He lay back in his bed and closed his eyes for a long moment.

"Well, I'll go set up the ultrasound and CT scan for you. An orderly will be by to take you to them."

"Can Meg come?" Animal asked almost eagerly. Meg laughed as Animal smiled at her. She thought Animal, if he had a tail like a puppy, he'd be wagging it. Dr. Winston agreed to Meg's presence while undergoing tests for Animal's comfort level. Animal grinned and lay back against his pillow; Meg's presence comforting him.

Meg knew Lia was helping Harm and Bud with dealing with the last bits of information from the stuff that NCIS had gathered. It was going to be explosive if the underhanded dealings of DSD were brought to light. A lot of people would be having criminal charges brought against them. Meg hoped Admiral Morris would assign someone else to the case because she preferred to take care of her Tosh and planned to do so while they were driving back on the transport ambulance to Bethesda.

_**Oakville Regional Hospital, Oakville, WI 1000 hrs CST Three Days Later.**_

"Well, Captain Nakamura, I believe we can discharge you pending transfer to another medical facility. The ambulance to take you to Bethesda will be here within the hour." Dr. Alan Winthrop smiled at Animal while Harm grinned at Meg who held Animal's hand.

"Thank you, Doc." Animal said as he slowly sat up and extended his hand. He still felt sore and the surgery stitches still pulled a little. From here on in, it would be both physical and speech/cognitive therapy to get him back to where he should be in terms of ability to accomplish daily tasks and be considered fit for duty.

"You will however be wheel-chaired out of the facility," Dr. Jonathan Winston admonished Animal with a hearty laugh and a shake of an extended index finger. "I know you are making great strides in your improvement, but we do not need you overextending your abilities and getting yourself re-admitted to hospital for yet another extended stay." Animal grinned sheepishly. We have prescribed painkillers and antibiotics that do not contraindicate those painkillers, Lieutenant Commander Austin. And the intervals at which he should take those antibiotics are listed on the instruction sheet. The antibiotics should be taken twice a day at mealtimes for the duration and generally recommended at mealtimes." Meg nodded at the doctor's recommendation.

With the investigation wrapped up, Harm and Lia would head back by airplane and update their respective COs on the situation. Admiral Morris had been concerned over Captain Nakamura's condition and had given Meg six weeks leave pending transport. He had told her via phone that she would be considered on investigative duties until the transport was approved from Oakville Hospital to Bethesda. That way she would not be utilizing any of her leave time accrued until Animal was placed in the ambulance.

"Hopefully, if we see you again, it can be under better circumstances." Dr. Winthrop quipped.

Animal laughed "I hope so...Doc."

"Now you can eat solids, but that doesn't mean you should attempt Eric's Patio Grill 18 oz. grilled medium rare steak with fifteen oz. of fries on the side and abuse your poor stomach. You've been acclimating to solids for two days now and mostly soft food like mashed potatoes and gravy and creamed corn. Maybe a small hamburger now and then to see how your stomach reacts first." Animal looked disappointed but the small grin lining his mouth indicated his amusement."

"Mocha Frappucino...Starbucks?" He asked.

"I'm sure that ought to be fine." Dr. Winston grinned patting Animal on the back. "Now, Meg, it will be up to you to keep him in check if he tries to eat a meal that's too heavy for him at the time."

Meg gave him a look of mock horror. "But Doc, you know that's going to be difficult. He's a mouth directly attached to a garburator for a stomach." She teased Animal considering how much Animal had wolfed down of the otherwise unpalatable hospital food. Evidently he'd been starving. Animal gave her a withering look but looked satisfied when she wrapped her arms around him. Lia laughed as Meg did this.

A hospital orderly came over to let the doctors know that the ambulance had arrived. Meg and Harm helped Animal get dressed and into a wheelchair.

"Thanks, Angel" there was some residual hoarseness from the endo-tracheal tube down the throat but they could hear him clearly. "Thanks, Harm." He was slowly starting to remember things but a lot of things remained fuzzy. As they gathered up luggage that would be shipped via Air Force C-17 to Andrews, Meg picked up her carry-bag that she would use during her trip in the ambulance with Animal. A paramedic would be with them in the back and Animal's suitcase would ride up front with the driver. There was minimal life-support equipment there but not enough to make things cramped. Animal's lung was the most pressing part of the injury so the drive would be at a pace that wouldn't stress Animal out and provoke another lung collapse. During the past two weeks the doctors had monitored his vitals and made sure that his re-inflated lung could withstand the journey.

All too soon it was time to say goodbye to Harm and Lia as they would be flying. Harm grinned at Animal giving him a brotherly hug as he said "don't freak me out like that again..."

"I'll try not to..." Animal replied.

Lia bent down in front of the wheelchair. "I was wrong. There is a lot more to you than the by-the-book military officer. If it wasn't you it could have been one of us. But...you went and did it without complaint." She hugged him. "Keep up the good fight, sir, I want to see you back on your feet." Lia turned to Meg and hugged her "Take care of him and I'll see you back at Bethesda when you two pull in."

Meg whispered, "Thanks, Lia" After a final hug from Harm, Meg turned to the paramedic and driver. "He's ready. Thank you."

"No problem, Lieutenant Commander."

Lia and Harm waited while Animal was transferred to a stretcher again, strapped in and fastened to the security restraints in the ambulance so that he wouldn't roll around in there. Then Meg entered the Ambulance to sit beside Animal. She waved at them as the doors closed. Then Lia and Harm headed to their rental car.

"They look happy together, don't they?" Lia pondered

"You did the right thing" harm responded wrapping his arms around her, looking into Lia's eyes intently. "Meg may look like a homecoming queen but she's got a lot of internal strength; and Animal's going to need to rely on that strength." Harm commented, his eyes taking on a far-off gaze. He sighed heavily. "Because...the road just gets tougher from hereon in. And knowing Animal, he's gonna have to work for every step he gets back." He paused. "Where I wasn't sure Maegyn could handle the mental and emotional strain; Meg's the right one to stand beside Animal every step of the way. She's Texas born and bred. She won't falter when the road gets tough."

"So you think I did the right thing?" Lia asked.

"I know you did..." Harm said as he looked over at Lia, his smile brightening his face. "And that's why I love you. You always do the right thing even when it's the tough thing to do." He leaned in and their lips touched. Lia gasped as she looked into Harm's eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck, as they deepened their kiss.

A journey of two couples began that late morning; one in an ambulance heading towards Bethesda on a trip that would take many days; the other in a car heading to the airport to take flight. Each heading towards a future that seemed to be brighter than a few days ago.


	26. Chapter 24

_**Green Bay International Airport, Green Bay, WI 1245 CST**_

Harm put their luggage on the closest luggage cart to their rental car. He had stopped at the car drop-off place for the rental service and did all the paperwork for handing the vehicle back to the rental service. Lia turned to him as he pushed the cart along, now fully laden with both their luggage and carry-ons. "What time was the flight?"

"1500 hrs. Gives us enough time to check in and get a bite to eat at the lounge." Harm replied looking around for the American Airways check-in counter. Thank goodness for an efficient Yeoman in Leon Trebalos. Animal certainly knew how to get people who were willing to do anything for him. YN2 Trebalos had efficiently managed to get two American Airways tickets coordinating funds with both the JAG Headquarters; YN1 Tiner and NAVINSGEN to get both Lia and Harm on the same flight seated in the same row side by side. He grinned as he stepped up to the check-in counter.

The woman at the check-in counter gave him a sunny smile and chirped,"Hi, welcome to American Airlines, how can I help you." Lia gave Harm a sidelong look and rolled her eyes when Harm gave 'check-in lady' his 'I'm a naval-aviator' grin. She could have sworn the woman fanned herself with the tickets he passed to her. But the woman composed herself long enough to print out the boarding passes and check-in their checked luggage and then handed the boarding passes with an excessively cheery and throaty "Thank you for flying with American Airlines." Lia hadn't felt so possessive of Harm before but she now gave the woman a smirk, put her arm around his arm and marked the woman off in the 'brainless ditz' category.

Harm looked back and forth between check-in woman and Lia and swore he could see arched backs and hear cat-like hisses. He shook his head and headed for the gate that they were supposed to board at taking Lia along with him.

"Can't believe the nerve of that woman..." Lia growled under her breath, barely audible. Harm grinned at Lia. "...of all the insufferable..." They were in civvies so Harm just halted, causing Lia to run into him, then leaned in and delivered a toe-curling kiss to Lia's lips to silence her fuming.

"Love you..." He whispered in Lia's ear.

"Hmmmph. You win." She mumbled looking up at him with a barely withheld look of mirth, trying to keep an offended air but failing. "You're just damned lucky I love you too..."

Harm, a twinkle of evil merriment in his eye, dropped his bag; jumped in the air, throwing his hands up in the air and smiled fit to split his face in half. "SHE LOVES ME!" He exclaimed. "SHE REALLY LOVES ME!" He picked Lia up and whirled her around while other people in the terminal looked up and clapped.

Lia went beet red with embarrassment. "I'm soooo going to get you for that." She growled then an evil expression came across her face. "See if you get any tonight." She stage-whispered just loudly enough for him to hear. When Harm stopped and gaped at her, she gave him a saucy smile and walked off towards the numbered gate that they were supposed to board at.

Harm gathered his carry-on and followed her, his mouth gaping like a fish out of water.

_**Transport Ambulance, Oakville, WI to Madison, WI, 1250 CST **_

"Ma'am, we'll be making a stop at Madison for food, drinks and a top-off of gas." The ambulance attendant monitoring Animal told Meg. She nodded, holding Animal's hand. Animal was resting. "Sir? Are you comfortable?" Animal looked up at him "sir? Are you comfortable?" The attendant repeated.

"Yeah." Animal gave him a one word response.

"No pain?" It would be yet another hour before they pulled into Madison and perhaps they could crack open the back for some fresh air so that their patient could be a bit more comfy.

Animal shook his head. It wasn't uncomfortable yet and his headache wasn't intolerable. Just so long as he didn't think too much. There really wasn't too much to look at while the ambulance made its way along I-90. He could see much other than sky at the angle in which he was strapped into the stretcher. The only thing that made it tolerable was the closeness of Meg seated near him. Every so often she would raise his hand and he would feel her lips gently kiss his fingers and he would turn his head to her. He would see her silently mouth the words. "I love you..." And his heart would feel like it was overflowing that someone would want him so much.

Especially in the condition that he was in now. He was slowly starting to remember as the reconnected lines of memories threatened to engulf him in a wave of emotion. He remembered Maegyn; his life with her and his heart lurched for a moment as he remembered that she hadn't stayed. Maybe he was too much for her to handle in this state that he was in and that was why she bolted. Maegyn couldn't handle it. Was he worth it? Would he even get back to what he was? He was just a burden. There was a twinge of pain from his chest as the attendant looked up at the monitor.

"Calm down, sir. Your heart rate is going up." He moved over a bit so Meg could sit beside Animal.

Meg leaned in, holding his hand as he tried to focus his mind to not panic and held on tightly to the anchor that Meg was providing. She seemed to know instinctively that he needed her reassurance and her inner strength. "I'm here, Tosh." She said softly. "Just hang on. Don't let go. We're going home. Remember?"

The attendant looked at the heart-rate monitor. Animal's heart-rate had noticeably calmed. "Claustrophobia?"

Meg replied. "More than likely bad memories. He and I haven't been together very long. His last relationship, his girlfriend skipped out on him when she found out he was going to need a long recuperative period to recover from this." She didn't feel it necessary to elaborate more even though she hated Maegyn for doing this to him.

"I'll mark this down as a psychological panic attack then rather than something physiological." The attendant commented as he made some notations in his notebook. "Heartbeat's registering as normal. Blood pressure 123/82. He's at a healthy blood pressure for someone his age and remarkable after undergoing trauma like he went through. The human body is resilient." The attendant looked at his watch. "We should be coming up on Madison shortly. Maybe some fresh air in the cabin will help him."

Meg nodded as she held Animal's hand and kissed his fingers, using her touch to keep him calm.

"We'll stop in Indianapolis where a female med-tech will take over for overnight at the hotel so that she and you can stay in the same room with Captain Nakamura. Then I'll see you in the morning at eight for the push to Bethesda." The tech said as he grinned.

Their stop in Madison wasn't a long stop as they were able to stop at Sonic and at a gas station to top off then it was back onto I-90 to Cherry Valley where they switched to I-39 to avoid Chicago. Bloomington, Indiana was passed as the ambulance ticked down the miles.

_**Washington Dulles International Airport, VA 1815 hrs EST **_

Harm walked up the jetway, Lia by his side. He was absolutely exhausted. Tomorrow morning he would have to report into the NAVINSGEN to let him know what went on during their investigation and Harm was quite certain it wouldn't go over too well. 1999 sucked so far, he thought. He was just planning on heading back to his loft and heading to a well-deserved sleep.

Looking over at Lia who also didn't look much better than he did, he said, "Shall we just grab our stuff and head for home. I'll grab a taxi tomorrow and drive someone from NAVINSGEN to go get the NAVINSGEN car from Andrews."

"I'm too tired to even contemplate driving home. Luckily, we can find a taxi to get us home. All I need to do is have a uniform ready."

"My car is at the Pentagon." Harm looked sour. "Should we retrieve my car so I can make it to work on time tomorrow."

"Well..." smirked Lia as she elbowed Harm."what about me?"

Harm gave her a nudge with his shoulder. "What, you mean you need to go to work tomorrow?"

"Haha. Very funny. Harm." Lia glared at him as she grabbed her bag from the baggage carousel. "Yes I do have to work tomorrow unless I want to get written up for being AWOL. Admiral Morris expects me in the office tomorrow."

When Harm retrieved his baggage, they headed over to the exit where within ten minutes of frantic waving were able to snag a taxi. " To the Pentagon, please." Harm seriously wanted his wheels back for next morning and he fully intended to get them from the parking lot of the Pentagon.

It was a thirty minute ride by taxi from Dulles to the front gate at the Pentagon. There he was held up for another fifteen minutes verifying that Harm was there to retrieve his vehicle from the Pentagon lot and it was another fifteen minutes after that before he was able to be on his way. At least it only took Harm about thirty minutes to drop by Lia's place and pick up a clean uniform for her plus a change of clothes; then a quick stop for take-out food; vegetarian for him; meat for her. "Let's go..." Harm said as they grabbed the food and headed for Harm's car.

Pulling the SUV into his normal parking spot, he shut off the car and got out his eyes scanning the alley for anyone who shouldn't be there, then he moved around to the passenger side to make certain that Lia was able to get out easily. She was. They swiftly made their way to the door and entered locking the entrance door behind them. The only way up was the rickety freight elevator and it creaked and groaned on the way up.

"Well, that's a comforting noise..." Lia commented as Harm winced from a particularly banshee-like screech as the elevator came to a shuddering halt on Harm's floor. "Wondering if my heart's still in my body after that shriek."

"Yeah, the property management company never does maintenance on it."

"If they're that negligent, why do you live here?" Lia asked, "that thing's an accident waiting to happen."

"Well..." Harm hemmed and hawed as he opened the door to his apartment and ushered Lia in. "I actually have no idea why I continue to live here." He shrugged his shoulders. "I just haven't been all that interested in finding someplace else."

"Hmmm." Lia looked around, "You must've fixed this place up really well. Looking at the building from the outside, one would have expected a trash heap. But this place is nice and liveable."

"Tell you what. The next place we get, you get to decide the decorations." Harm grinned as he started getting down plates and silverware from the shelf. Lia looked surprised. "Well, this area isn't exactly the best area in DC and I just needed a shove to actually start thinking about the future." He left it there because he didn't want Lia to think he was moving too fast.

"You're letting me decorate, next house, we get?" Lia got this absolutely evil grin on her face. "Oh...and you're not frightened that I might paint the bedroom _hot pink._" Harm blanched. "...with pink outlined unicorns...and..." She laughed as she looked at Harm's horrified expression.

"Let's eat." Harm said rapidly changing the subject. Lia looked over at Harm with a cheeky grin. Harm gave her a smile as he passed over Lia's Chinese food. Harm opted for plenty of vegetable dumplings with a side of straight chow mein; no beef or pork.

It was delicious as the flavorful scents rising from the food containers tantalized their nostrils and Lia sighed in ecstasy since she hadn't eaten in several hours. There wasn't an appetizing selection of food offerings at Green Bay International Airport and she opted for just a Kitkat bar and that had to do her until now.

The food was delicious and it wasn't long before their stomachs decided they had had enough. The food was put up and Harm said, "i can sleep on the couch tonight. Looking at the clock he noticed it was rounding 2000 hrs. "There's towels in the linen closet and you can take a shower if you want to." Lia nodded. Her mind was going into overdrive. She thought back to the innuendo that she had tossed his direction as he had spun her around in his arms. And then said huskily, "I think you more than made up for embarrassing me half to death at Green Bay International this afternoon." She looked at him with low-lidded eyes as Harm looked at her. Wrapping her arms around him, she moved to sit in his lap. Leaning in, she kissed him feeling his lips on her. Harm groaned.

"Do you want this..." He asked her, his voice laden with desire. "I don't want to stop, but I will if you want me to..."

"Shhh." Lia said as she got off his lap, pulling him upright. "I want you..." She said gesturing to the bedroom.

"It isn't too fast?" He asked. She shook her head. Harm gathered her up in his strong arms and carried her up the four small steps leading up to his bedroom. When she regained her feet, she started passionately kissing him along his face, his cheeks and his neck. Wrapping her arms around him while he slipped his hands underneath her t-shirt to un-fetter her breasts from the bra she was wearing. Lia moaned softly as his touch sent shivers along the surface of her skin.

"Oh, God. Yes...Harm." Lia gasped as Harm slipped her shirt from her body, her bra slipping from her shoulders up her arms following along with the shirt. Lia returned the favor by pulling his t-shirt off so that Harm stood there bare chested while her hands caressed his chest. Harm knelt down on his knees to pay 'lip-service' to Lia's breasts favoring them with a tongue flick and a massage with the palm of his hand. A low moan started at the base of Lia's throat as her hands wrestled with Harm's belt-buckle.

_**Pro-Care Partner Hotel, Indianapolis, IN, 2045 hrs EST **_

"Yes, of course we have a room available." The hotel clerk said brightly. "We have one that can fit a stretcher and the equipment needed and two attendants for the patient?" Meg and Allison, the female attendant who had met them at the hotel had checked Animal into the hotel. The clerk handed over keys. And the medical patient room was on the first floor. The stretcher could be lowered to form a bed low to the ground and Animal could be slowly wheeled by a waterproof wheelchair to a shower equipped for use by those in wheelchairs.

When they were in the room, Allison asked Animal "Would you like to take a shower, I'm sure that you feel grimy from the trip." Animal nodded quietly. "Would you like to help him? After all you'll need to know this too."

"With...a...little help...I think I can...move from this...to the...wheel...chair." Animal said, he sounded tired and Meg wanted to pamper him.

"Of course that means I'm going to have to take your clothes off. Meg said, without a trace of embarrassment as she gathered up items for a shower, then gathered together a change of clothes for both her and Animal.

"A...beautiful...woman giving...me a..,shower...and I can't re...c-c-ciprocate." Animal said with some difficulty. Meg's heart gave a little jump of glee as she found his voice contained a trace of his old sense of humor.

She walked over, leaned down and whispered, her voice low and husky, in his ear. "Well we can work out something for a method of repayment, when you're feeling better enough." Animal's grin was bright as his brain figured out what she meant by that.

Allison informed Meg, "Just be careful of his stitches and his chest area. It helps that he's mobile enough that he can get himself onto the wheelchair with a minimal amount of assistance."

"OK." Meg stated as she stated helping Animal to take his clothes off. Putting a towel around his waist to cover his intimate parts, Meg helped him to get into the wheelchair. It probably would have gone a lot worse to have to be helped by a man and Animal preferred Meg's attentions by far.

Allison stated, "Hey, I'm gonna go out and get some eats. You gonna be fine?"

"I think I'll be fine..." Meg replied as she stripped off her shoes, socks, pants and t-shirt. Allison grabbed the keys and headed out the door as Meg wheeled Animal into the bathroom that was wide enough to accommodate his wheelchair. He wasn't able to stand for long so it was better for him to be in a wheelchair. When Meg had shut the door to the bathroom, she stripped off her bra and panties and tossed them in a corner where they wouldn't get wet. Then she leaned in and gave Animal a lingering kiss grabbing the shower head, she removed the towel and hung it up to keep it dry so she could wipe him off later. She put the washcloth over her arm as she turned on the shower head. "OK, sweetheart, hair first, tilt your head back a slight bit." First checking the water to make sure that it was not too hot by spraying her wrist, she got it to a temp that wasn't uncomfortable then checked against Animal's wrist. He nodded letting her know that it was alright. The feel of Meg's hand running across his hair as the water soaked it, caused him to react visibly, his interest in Meg's body quite apparent to her line of sight. And the next thing he knew, Meg was purring in his ear. "Mmmmm, like that, do you?" Animal groaned embarrassed and amorous. "Well at least I know you're interested." She murmured softly as she reached over and caressed him gently making him moan softly low in his throat. "I think I read somewhere that having some playtime..." She whispered in his ear,"prevents UTIs and prostate cancer, hmmmm?" She grinned at him and she tapped him lightly eliciting a groan of pleasure, "We do have to make sure we're both clean. And maybe..." Meg winked at him and proceeded with washing Animal's hair then washed his whole body lingering slightly over his manhood. Animal couldn't take his eyes off her breasts. He was able to stand for a few brief moments while she helped get his lower body and back clean. Locking his wheels against the wall at the back of the shower, she caressed him, one hand on his cheek, the other exploring his manhood. She gave him a kiss with a bit of tongue.

About twenty minutes later, Allison returning with the food heard a rather male-sounding groan that sounded much like "oh...God...yes...Meg!" and grinned. She turned on the TV and got some utensils from the kitchen. At least some things wouldn't be a problem. She didn't say a word when both Meg and Animal emerged from the bathroom rather disheveled but squeaky clean. Animal semi-clothed in briefs and t-shirt was settled back into his stretcher so that he could rest He ate sparingly because of how tired he was. The rest of his portion was kept aside for breakfast the next morning.

_**Harm's Apartment, North of Union Station, 2030 hrs EST**_

Harm groaned as Lia worked her lips lower down his body. Caressing him and stroking, she elicited yet another groan out of him. She pulled his pants and briefs off to leave him standing there naked but for his socks. Pulling Lia to her feet, he hooked his fingers around the waistband of her panties and tugged down leaving her exposed to him.

"I want you so much." Lia groaned stepping out of her pants and panties to stand bare naked in front of him. "Take me, please, Harm."

Harm picked her up and laid her gently on the blankets. "Lia, are you on..." He paused embarrassed.

"Am I on birth control?" She finished for him. "Yes. I want to feel all of you." She whispered.

Harm bent over her and taking on of her nipples into her mouth sucked gently eliciting a moan out of Lia.

"Now, Harm..." She coaxed then bit off a cry as Harm thrust deep inside her filling her with his length. "Make love to me, Harm." Their desires intermingled as Harm and Lia made love; eventually culminating in an explosive orgasm that left both wrung out entirely, Harm emptying himself deep inside Lia's womb.

2200 rolling around found them intertwined in the sheets, arms around each other fast asleep.

_**Harm's Apartment, North of Union Station, 0600 hrs **_

Harm returned from his run to find Lia dressed and ready for work. "Hey. I need a ride to Andrews to collect the car since I don't have a way of getting to work otherwise."

Harm nodded "You'd better call Admiral Morris and let him know."

"Already done. He gave me the morning off but he needs to see me in his office this afternoon. Something really important, evidently."

Harm looked at her while grabbing a towel and briefs. He disappeared into the shower and was back out in fifteen minutes hurrying into his khaki uniform.

A few minutes later he was on the road with Lia bound for Andrews to pick up Lia's car. He checked his watch. He'd be a hour late to the meeting; couldn't be helped. But at least Lia would have her car and she would be able to get to work.

"Harm, yesterday night...was wonderful." Lia declared. "Big question though, are we dating or do we have something even more serious than that?"

Harm looked at her, "I'd say it's pretty darned serious. I don't want to rush you but there's also the fact that I want more than just dating. I want to eventually marry and have kids." Harm gazed into Lia's eyes. "But the pace is up to you."

"Well..." Lia replied. "I'm not entirely ready for a major commitment yet but I find that we have something together and I want it to continue. Would you be satisfied with that for now? Even though it would be intimate, it'll probably be frustrating since you want marriage eventually but I don't know if I'm ready to take that step yet. I want to talk to a counsellor first and get myself straightened out first."

Harm agreed nodding his head. "I would." He indicated to Lia briefly before he took her hand, raised it up to his lips and kissed her fingers. "I love you, Lia. I'll wait as long as you need me to; as long as you come home to me."

When he dropped her off at her vehicle at Andrews, she kissed him gently on the lips and then walked over to her car.

_**Pro-Care Partner Hotel, Indianapolis, IN, 0730 EST **_

"Don'wanna get up." mumbled Animal as he stirred. "Hurts..."

"Sweetheart; are you all right?" Meg got out of bed, getting her fresh blouse and a pair of jeans on. Allison passed her the painkillers and the antibiotic which Animal downed with the rest of the food from the night before.

A knock on the door announced the arrival of the same medic as the previous day. He grinned saying. "By eleven, we'll be in Columbus, Ohio and then at about three we'll get into Pittsburgh. Provided he's OK..." The medic said gesturing at Animal, " we'll push on to Bethesda which will put our arrival somewhere around seven thirty or eightish give or take stops for food and restroom breaks."

"Sounds good." Meg replied, anxious to get on the road. Harm and Lia would be meeting them at Bethesda with a fresh change of clothes which would help because all of Meg's clothes needed a run through the washer and dryer. "Well, let's go." They raised Animal's stretcher again and headed out to the lobby, where Meg squared up with the hotel. Then thanking Allison for the help, Meg and Animal and their medics headed back out on the road.

_**JAG Headquarters, Falls Church, VA, 0800 hrs **_

Lia managed to grab a leisurely breakfast and signed in about oh eight hundred. "Ma'am?" Tiner asked. " Admiral Morris would like to see you in the bullpen. She looked at Tiner but he wasn't giving up any information at all.

When she walked into the office, many of her fellow officers were there and so was Harm who just mouthed _surprise_ when she looked questioningly at him.

"Lieutenant Commander Liandra Gracen; front and centre." Admiral Stiles Morris grinned. "Attention to orders. Raise your right hand. Repeat after me. _I, Liandra Catherine Gracen, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God. _Congratulations. Commander Gracen." Lia automatically came to attention repeating the oath. "Lieutenant Commander Rabb, would you please do the honors?"

Lia stood there in shock as Harm whispered congratulations in her ear, unpinning her bronze navy oak leaves and replacing them with silver on both sides, then as per decorum and relaxed PDA, gave her a chaste but tender kiss on the cheek whispering, "celebration tonight, sweetie. After Bethesda."

"Commander Gracen." RADM Morris stated, "You're being transferred to Judiciary."

"Yes, sir" CDR Lia Gracen acknowledged her new orders and station. It was a bit sad leaving the trial counsel position but Judiciary was what she had longed for; laying down judgements and creating precedent decisions. "Thank you, sir".

"Start packing your office, you report to RDML Bennett on Monday."

"Aye-aye, sir."

_**Wendy's, Columbus, OH, 1120 hrs.**_

The non-emergency medical transport ambulance pulled into the Wendy's parking lot and the driver parked while the medic opened the back to let some fresh air in. Animal sighed looking out at the sky. Meg came back with two Cokes, two large fries and two Wendy's Junior Bacon Cheeseburger Deluxes apiece. Animal looked so grateful that Meg gave him a tender kiss on the lips. They each ate quietly and, as usual, Animal saved a burger for later. Evidently his appetite wasn't as robust as before. The driver came around the back and said, "OK folks next pit stop three hours in Pittsburgh!"

"Oh Yippee." Animal said quietly. "I'll just...be glad...to get home..." He said; his tone a bit sad and tired. Meg leaned over and gave him a tender hug.

"We'll get there this afternoon, sweetheart. Just keep your spirits up."

"OK."

For most of the next three hours, Animal slept. What comforted him the most was that Meg was always there beside him all the way. The fact that she was close by was a calming security blanket around him. And he lay and dreamt of beaches, sunsets and a beautiful Meg Austin in bikini walking along those sandy beaches hand in hand.

When the driver finally stopped the ambulance, the sun was about thirty-five degrees to the horizon and the air was getting cooler. The place was a Sonic Drive-Thru. Milkshake for Meg, a Coke for Animal and a large fries. Animal swore that when he was fully recovered he was going to a Sonic for a delicious banana shake. After twenty minutes they were back on the road again for the last four and a half hour stretch drive that would get them home to DC and fully transferred to Bethesda Naval Medical Center.

The last stretch drive consisted of going over the Allegheny Mountains as they headed east towards DC. Animal trusted in the driver to get them there safely without running off the road. Seven thirty or nine thirty; it didn't matter, just so long as they got there safely. And that was all that Animal wanted.

Meg looked over at Animal as he lay quietly in the stretcher. It was a long drive and to do it in two days let alone three was a marathon drive. she resolved that when Animal had recovered enough to get back to being what he used to be, that when he reached what the doctors considered ninety-five percent again; that they would take the same drive, albeit at a much slower pace, taking the time to enjoy the scenery and the wonderful vistas of a Allegheny fall. Meg felt with loving support, determination and iron-clad willpower, that Animal would get a lot of himself back again. He just needed to believe in himself. And Meg knew that she would be his rock, when he faltered; a strong post for him to lean against and depend on. And knowing that two and a half weeks ago before the events that changed all of their lives, he was another woman's man; Meg's heart exulted that she had become the woman who meant the world to Tosh.

Meg did realize that there was a long road ahead. She needed to take the strength she had and draw upon it, because there would be days when success would seem to be an elusive pipe dream and Animal's recovery prospects would be dim, at least in his own eyes. He would be discouraged; and discouragement bred anger and anger in turn would feed resentment. Meg reminded herself that when Animal got frustrated and angry, that it was not directed at her, but at himself and that if he focused the disappointment and anger within, that it would lead to depression. Meg did feel a sense of fear that she may have stepped into something bigger than she could handle by herself, but realized that she had her JAG family and Harm to lean on if things got tough and she looked over at her Tosh lying in the stretcher and she knew for a fact that she would go the extra mile for him to help him get back on his feet. Maegyn couldn't or wouldn't; why, Meg did not know, but she was gone. Her mind scoffed and said that Maegyn had better not show her face again around Animal because Meg would defend him, claws bared.

She looked at Animal with affection as he rested, his chest moving up and down with his steady regular breaths. Now that he was out of danger, she felt her mood was a lot lighter. He had survived the forty-eight hour period that was critical after coming out of coma and his situation was no longer critical or even graded as serious. What they classified him was that he was stable and hopefully would remain so.

The miles kept rolling by and eventually around 2035 hrs by her watch the ambulance came to a halt in front of some very bright lights. The doors in the back swung open and Animal was lifted out of the ambulance on the stretcher and rolled into the hospital. Harm and Lia were waiting just inside the door. Animal did another double take at Lia's collar insignia. No, his eyes hadn't deceived him. The oak leaves were silver.

He said softly, "Congrats, Commander." His speech was starting to come a bit easier if he used smaller words to communicate.

"Thank you, sir." Lia said to him as she stood beside Harm.

"Well...Harm, looks like you're gonna have to salute her." He said smiling at Lia and Harm who both grinned back glad to see their friend arrive.

The paperwork to admit Animal to Bethesda was taken care of as quickly as they could and the files were transferred over from the medic to receiving physician, a Commander James Zhen Shi Jiang, MD. Dr. Jiang grinned, "Well Captain, looking at your records it appears you got in the way of yet another stray bullet."

"Yeah, must be my...magnetism." Animal quipped, his words slow but clear. "I really gotta learn...to get out of the way..."

"Then maybe..." Meg grinned at him, her tone teasing, "You can stop giving me heart attacks."

"Yeah, might be good...to stop making...you worry so much." Animal looked up at Meg tenderly.

Harm grinned pointing at a solitary white hair on his head. "See you're even giving me gray hairs."

"Makes you look...distinguished" Animal chuckled.

"Makes me look old, y'mean." Harm snickered.

"Don't laugh...got more'n you." Harm and Lia laughed, happy that Animal was able to joke more freely.

The hospital orderly dressed in Army woodland BDU with embroidered black thread staff sergeant chevrons and notified the officers that Captain Nakamura's room was ready. Animal thanked him as the Staff Sergeant wheeled him into the room. "So who's allowed to stay with him?" Harm asked Dr. Jiang.

"Well we want to monitor him for a week, then get him into cognitive/speech therapy; perhaps..." He looked over at Meg "...someone who is close to him can stay if they would like." He consulted his chart; "...that would be Maegyn O'Bannon?"

Meg disgustedly said. "No, Maegyn O'Bannon found that she wasn't up to taking care of someone who needed her and abandoned Captain Nakamura in his time of need. You can cross her off and put me on there."

Animal was staring at Meg with wonderment. "Is that fine with you? Captain?"

Animal was startled for a moment but said, "That would be fine." He was gratified that Meg would step in so willingly but was extremely disappointed in Maegyn, considering how intimate they had been. But he could also see why Maegyn bolted. He felt as though he was a drain on everyone else. Having to rely on other people for help was taxing emotionally; his self-esteem taking a serious battering. Medical staff were trained to help. The fact that his friends who were here had stuck with him through his tough times made him thankful.

"Well, let me jot down this new bit of information." Dr. Jiang said as he pulled his pen from the pocket of his shirt. "You are..." He prompted.

Meg answered him resolutely. "Lieutenant Commander Megan Austin." She met Dr. Jiang's eyes with a stubborn set to her stance. " Sir. I will be staying with the Captain through his stay here."

Dr. Jiang said to Animal. "I'm gratified that you have a small but strong support system. You'll have to rely on them for moral support. While medical staff can assist you with your recovery, your supportive friends will do wonders in offering the support you need to boost your morale to keep with it. You will need it because recovery will be hard."

Animal looked up at Meg as he grasped her hand as she willingly offered it to him. He saw in her affectionate look her resolution to stand by him willingly; her ironclad will that she would do anything to help him regain what he had lost and even more wonderingly; her love that she gave without reservation and he wondered how this broken down emotionally damaged Navy Captain could be worthy of such a devotion that this beautiful Navy Lieutenant Commander offered him so freely. Her blue-eyed gaze stared back at him with such love there that his heart overflowed. And he resolved to stick with his therapy until he felt that he was worthy of her.

"I want to help you. I want to be your support system" Meg said simply as she held his hand.

That seemed to satisfy Dr. Jiang and he stated, "I'll leave you five to settle in. Tranquility Hall offers a good selection of food. Better than the usual hospital fare." He grinned amiably. "If you are hungry you might want to head down there." He looked over at Animal, "You're on oral antibiotics and oral painkillers so we won't set up another IV unless something drastically changes. We'll run some tests on you tomorrow to see if there's still cause for concern. So enjoy the rest of your evening. And I'll see you tomorrow, Captain." he took his leave of them.

"How about you and Meg...go down and bring up some chow. I...need to talk privately with the commander." Animal said slowly. Meg turned to Animal dropping a kiss on his lips and left with Harm.

Lia nervously sat down. "Sir?"

"Lia..." Animal said tiredly. "No need...for formality." He paused for a long moment; his misery showing through startling Lia that he would show his vulnerability to her. "I under...stand...I have you to thank...for saving me from...Commander O'Bannon bolting...halfway through my recovery."

Lia looked embarrassed. "I really shouldn't have stuck my nose in matters that weren't my business." She said.

"...but in terms...of doing...such...you saved me from...further emotional harm..." He reached out and Lia took his hand as she felt him squeeze her hand gently. "...so thank you..." He grinned amiably and Lia found that she thought he was rather attractive when he actually smiled. "I apologize for having been...a stuck-up asshole."

"...and I apologize for being a bitch to you." Lia said squeezing his palm back.

"Well Lordy, I go down for some chow; I get back...to find..." Harm startled the two of them into releasing their hand. "That peace has just been declared. Hallelujah." He mockingly went over to the window opening the curtain. "Nope the world hasn't come to an end."

"How do...you put up with him?" Animal asked Lia who snickered.

"That wasn't bad. Should have seen him at Green Bay International's concourse." Lia smirked at Harm.

Meg moved to Animal's side as she grinned at Harm and Lia who stood there close by but not touching due to decorum rules as they were still wearing khakis. Meg on the other hand was in civvies. After eating, Harm and Lia made their good-byes and Meg settled in for the night with a cot placed right beside Animal's bed."

_**RLSO Southwest, San Diego, CA 1515 hrs. Two days later**_

"Major Mackenzie, front and center!" Captain Nick Akiak Aputsiaq, CO RLSO Southwest, said in a stentorian tone. "Attention to orders. Raise your right hand. Repeat after me. _I, Sarah Mackenzie, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God. _Congratulations. Lieutenant Colonel Mackenzie."

"Thank you sir" Mac said after she repeated the commissioning oath.

"Lieutenant Colonel Mackenzie, I know you haven't been here very long but unfortunately there has been an incident which requires your being attached to JAG Headquarters in DC TAD. Note that there will be three attorneys from various RLSOs being attached as well. Admiral Morris having lost one of his senior staff to Judiciary means that you will have to serve as Chief of Staff till they get their personnel snafu sorted out. Are you alright with that, Lieutenant Colonel?"

"Yes, Sir." She looked at the silver oak-leaves on her collars. Man, was Harmon Rabb and that red-headed bimbo, he called his girlfriend, gonna be unpleasantly surprised.


	27. Chapter 25

_**National Naval Medical Center (Bethesda Naval Hospital), Bethesda, MD, 0845 hrs**_

The sunlight shining through the windows of the private hospital room that Animal was resting in, was just bright enough and intrusive enough to stir from sleep a curled up Meg Austin, in a what could not be comfortable hospital chair, who looked up blearily to see Animal looking at her with a soft smile. Stretching to get the kinks out of her shoulders and neck, she looked up to see the clock rounding nine. That woke her up just as Animal looked up to see RADM Stiles Morris come through the doors.

Animal said, "Good morning, sir." as Meg stood up at attention.

"Good morning, Captain Nakamura. Lieutenant Commander, no need to get up on my account, I'm just visiting to see how the Captain is faring."

"Better than I was…sir." Animal said. "Long way to go…though."

Morris nodded. Even though he was a staff officer, he'd seen the legal aftermath of shootings due to the fact that damages were often sued for. The trauma from the shootings often overshadowed the rehabilitation process and it was very rare for someone shot to be one hundred percent afterwards. "Commander, I've given you three weeks of leave to help care for Captain Nakamura. Let me know if you need any more."

"Thank you, sir." Meg was genuinely grateful for the generous leave-time. She knew that she was new to the office and such magnanimous gestures by the CO were rare to those who had just reported in.

"Wishing you a speedy recovery, Captain. The doctors are going to do what they can. I've talked to them and they are readying the course of treatment and rehabilitation. I'd have to say though that it is going to be a long, tough road." The admiral said as he turned to leave. "Now, I have to return to my office before things get out of hand."

"Thank you, sir." Animal replied, a little shocked that the JAG would come to visit him and rather dismayed at the revelation of the doctor's assessment of his condition. RADM Morris grinned, nodded his head in salutation and left. Meg was equally shocked as she was just expecting an acknowledging phone call and not the physical visit to Animal's hospital room. She looked at Animal in bewilderment as they both gazed at each other, grateful for the fact that they had each other to lean on…at least Meg would after Animal recovered. Meg held out hope that he would recover fully, but she knew that he had a long road ahead. There were therapies for brain injury, but unfortunately, these were still in the experimental stages and the efficacies of such treatment were hard to quantify.

"Are you alright?" Meg noticed that Animal was looking a bit down.

"I don't know…" he started to say, then paused for a long moment. "So much to do…don't know where to start…" He looked up with pleading eyes. "I just want to go home." He looked as though he was going to retreat into himself.

"I know, sweetheart." Meg replied as she reached for his hands. "But the doctors will guide you and I'll be there every step of the way."

Animal looked at her "Thanks…Meg." He said with gratitude. "I don't think…I could do…it without you." He replied. He looked towards the open window and gazed at the puffy white clouds floating in the blue sky. His heart was still broken watching those clouds wishing that he could be flying his beloved fast jets, but deep down inside, he wondered if the brain injury that he had suffered would even let him fly his little Piper Cherokee ever again. If he couldn't fly again, then why the hell was he still alive? Silently cursing the brain injury that he'd sustained; he slumped down in his bed and looked up at the ceiling. But then turning his head to Meg, he knew that he couldn't face her if he didn't give it all that he could to recuperate from being shot. Meg deserved his best. And he knew that he needed to do everything to give her the mate that she needed. After all her support, he couldn't very well give up on life. She wasn't going to give up on him so he needed to take the same mindset. And deep down he resolved that he would do everything that he could to make it back. Whether he flew or not was going to be unimportant. Whatever career he could salvage from the shambles of his brain, he would fight to get back.

Meg must have sensed Animal's deep internal struggle because she looked over at Animal with a concerned look on her face and she moved closer to him. She wanted to let Animal know that she was going to be right there with him every single step of the way.

_"And what do you want out of life? Sir?" Meg had asked long ago in a bar outside of Yokosuka Naval Station in 1996._

_"I guess…"there was a long pause and another couple of drinks before he had answered, his tone wistful which struck a chord in Meg, feeling deep down the desire to take away his melancholy. "I want the white picket fence, the house, the wife, the two kids and dog and…" He paused and chuckled cracking a joke that he figured was wry. "the half a cat…ok…an intact cat."_

_Meg replied. "I think everyone wants that, sir." Her tone was also wistful; her heart knowing that she with a burgeoning career in the United States Navy was far from that. But she could hope and with a full heart, she did dream a daydream about what it would be like to be married to a wonderful man with the two kids, a dog and a cat. _

The O4 Meg Austin was a bit older and a lot wiser than the former lieutenant JG who had asked the then Commander Nakamura that question, but she still felt the same pull towards the now Navy Captain who was lying injured in the hospital bed wondering if his life would ever be the same again. She understood him.

When he had said to her "_But really, Lieutenant, all I really want is someone who understands me, who I am, as a person, not someone who just thinks of me as a guy with a sword in one hand, flight helmet in the other, and chest festooned with medals shouting. 'Follow me, men! Glory or bust.'. Inside, I'm not that guy…_" he had meant every single word of what he'd said. He wasn't a glory-hound, he was just an ordinary guy trying to understand the situation that he'd been thrust into.

_Harm had managed to become extremely jealous at the attention that Meg was paying Animal during the course of the Medal of Honor investigation and snarkingly replied as he had given her a sceptical glance "You know the allure of dress whites and gold wings." He gave her that big grin of his, that worked so well on other females. It didn't work as well anymore. _

_And she had responded to that jab with one of her own. "I'm sorry, sir…" she smirked back at him. "I've never seen him in dress whites and gold wings." She had said, an innocent tone in her voice as she had demurely blinked at him. She had turned to go back to Animal's side and turning slightly to look at Harm; had shot back with a retort of her own that successfully deflated Harm's ego. "but he fills out that set of khakis really well…and that blue ribbon with the white stars: rounds out that physique so nicely." *KABOOM*. _ Deep down, Meg would bet money that Harm had been absolutely jealous of Animal. As she looked at Animal resting, his head on the pillow, she reached out to caress his hand, which he upturned the palm and grasped her own hand, softly squeezing to show her his love for her. She leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek as Animal looked up at her with a wondering look on his face, gazing into her eyes with a questioning look.

"A penny…for your thoughts." He said slowly.

"Nothing much…just thinking about a few things in the past. What I should have said to you back then…" Meg replied as she gazed back at him, an enigmatic smile on her face.

"…and now?" Animal asked quietly hoping that things hadn't changed with his physical helplessness.

"…just…that…" she paused for a long minute to extend her other hand to take his other hand; leaning in to kiss him softly on the lips. "…I love you, always…Tosh."

His eyes softened noticeably when she used his given name. Animal had by now recalled that he was referred to as Animal because of the fact that he had used to fly F-14 Tomcats in the Navy. _Animal _was his call-sign although he wasn't still sure how he got it, but that was a memory that would come back eventually as his neural pathways reconstructed themselves. Hopefully the brain injury wasn't too severe to repair itself. Animal hoped so as he would like to still be able to function without needing outside help, though he knew that Meg would do whatever she could to give him a hand. But he needed independence, instead of lying in a hospital bed being helped to shower, shave and wipe his own butt when he had to excrete. In fact he had to go right now… He tried to heave himself out of the bed. "Hon…" he said, a pleading tone in his voice. "I think…I have to go…"

Meg got out of her chair and helped him to the toilet…then gave him privacy while he was in there. When it sounded as if he was finished, she helped him clean off when it seemed as though the stitches in his shoulder prevented him from being able to do so; washed her own hands thoroughly to keep from spreading bacteria and then helped him back to the bed, his gait slow...and painful as the stitches on his gunshot wound pulled slightly. He winced and Meg asked him if he was alright. Animal nodded and sat down on the edge of the hospital bed, sighing in relief. Just that exercise in elimination made him realize just how far he had to go to get back to where he had been originally. He had taken for granted just how much he had been able to do for himself and he wondered if he was ever going to be able to do the things he used to be able to do.

His hitching breath conveyed to Meg, Animal's mood, his somber expression the hint of wetness and hopelessness in his eyes. Meg gathered him to her, holding him in her arms and whispered, "I'm not going to let you fall. I won't let you fall…"

_**JAG Headquarters, Falls Church, VA, 1300hrs**_

"Lieutenant Colonel Sarah Mackenzie reporting for duty, sir." The silver oak leaves on Mac's service charlies were shiny new as RADM Morris stared at Mac.

"Quite a return, Lieutenant Colonel." Morris replied, his countenance not betraying a single hint as to his perception of her and Mac was certain that he wasn't pleased. The orders had come from over his head, presumably from the office of the SECNAV. "Under the circumstances of your TDY posting to DC, you will be serving as the Chief of Staff until such time as we can get this matter straightened out as per briefed by your CO back in RLSO South West." Mac knew that Morris would have preferred to get his own regime into place, but the simple fact that the Secretary of the Navy had overruled that pleased Mac immensely. It was a comfortable position and she had slipped into back into it.

"Yes, sir." Mac replied, also keeping her personal thoughts private as she figured that she would have plenty of time to get an ide of the lay of the land. And in any case she figured that she outranked that now red-headed bimbo of Harm's. Frankly, Mac thought, she'd be really amused to see Liandra's face when she stepped into the office.

"I hope that you will be able to return to your duties at RLSO Southwest as soon as possible." Morris' tone made it sound as though he was certainly going to ensure that Mac's stay at JAG HQ was as short as possible.

"Yes, sir." Mac replied, stiffening to a brace knowing that was a dismissal.

"Tiner?" The admiral hit the intercom on the phone. "Please make sure that Commander Gracen sees me about the Pettigrew case? Thank you. Tell her to see me in my office to hand the case over to Lieutenant Colonel Mackenzie." Mac swore that the admiral had a smirk on his face.

It was not more than five minutes before a knock at the door caused RADM Morris to usher the familiar petite naval officer into the room, and Mac's enmity towards the shorter naval officer grew as she saw silver oak leaves on Lia's naval khakis.

"Good to see you, Colonel Mackenzie." Lia's eyes betrayed not a hint of surprise at Mac's change in rank while Mac's jaw hung open and that raised Mac's ire even further. Lia handed her the folder for the Pettigrew case and updated her calmly and professionally on the case.

"Good luck in judiciary. Commander Gracen." RADM Morris stated firmly to CDR Gracen who nodded to LCOL Mackenzie.

Lia acknowledged respect for RADM Morris with a "Thank you, sir." and was dismissed. Executing a crisp about-face, she nodded to Mac and left.

Mac wasn't sure exactly how to deal with the fact that her nemesis was still of equal rank to her.

"I see you were promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. When?" the RADM asked, frowning at her.

"Yesterday, sir." Mac said, looking towards the door.

"She still outranks you." RADM Morris replied. "She was promoted the day before yesterday...and she will also be trying the Pettigrew case; as the judge presiding." He paused, "Dismissed."

Mac, her mental state still in disarray, barely managed to get herself back together to snap to attention and flee from the office. The military was achievement oriented; and the Marines even more so. Mac was highly competitive and the military structure enforced that will to succeed. But her enmity towards Lia was based on the fact that she thought that Harm was hers. What right did that little auburn haired mouse have; to take Harm from her? She couldn't let that situation go.

"Lieutenant Colonel Mackenzie? You're back?" She turned around when she heard Lieutenant JG Bud Robert's voice beside her.

"Yes, I am, Bud. Could you do me a favor?" she asked.

"Yes, ma'am." Bud responded, about as eagerly as a golden retriever puppy.

"Find me an office."

"Yes, ma'am."

_**Office of the Naval Inspector General, Pentagon Detachment, 1425hrs**_

Concentrating on anything while Animal was in the hospital was near impossible. Vice Admiral Bennett had placed a temporary captain in the NAVINSGEN office until such time as Animal was able to resume his duties. And already the vice-admiral was making changes on how dangerous investigations were to be carried out. VADM Bennett was not pleased that the investigation had resulted in getting Captain Nakamura shot. He was also planning on recommending that attempted charges in addition to the capital conspiracy charges be laid if the person who had shot the captain was captured. Harm was beginning to receive a pounding headache. He would have to consult with the RADM Morris and while the two-starred Judge Advocate General certainly carried a lot of weight; the outraged screaming from a three-star would certainly carry more weight.

"_What the fucking hell were you two yahoos doing?" the vice-admiral had stood him up behind his desk and was bellowing at him from less than a foot away. "You went into a black project base to conduct an investigation and then proceeded to play Crockett and Tubbs? Are you two fucking insane? If I didn't know better, I'd swear that you two shared a single brain cell between the two of you and that particular brain cell was developmentally challenged!" Harm would have sworn that the windows were flexing every time that the vice-admiral had let out another outraged bellow. He'd never seen that done with the human voice before. "Black projects…are investigated accompanied by a highly armed security detachment of the United States Marines! Secondly, you secure the entire base. Otherwise you end up with an incident such as a highly decorated officer of the United States Navy getting himself shot in the process!" _

The only thing that Harm could do was stand at the position of attention, stare at a point somewhere about eye-level wall-opposite and hope that his "Yes, sir!" responses were good enough to warrant him not getting lined up against the wall and shot himself. It appeared as though the admiral was not so much furious at the investigation going awry than at the fact that he was concerned about Captain Nakamura's health.

When the vice-admiral's tirade was finished and he had stomped out of the office with a slammed door and a reverberating _hmmph_, Harm winced as Lieutenant Commander Manetti had come into his office and said staring at the door, "I guess that meeting didn't go well." _That was the understatement of understatements. _Harm had thought.

"Yeah…" was all that Harm could say.

"When are you securing?" Tracy had asked him as Harm was busy gathering up his case files.

Harm sighed deeply, "I know I have a lot of things to do, but I need to get up to the hospital and check up on Meg and Captain Nakamura. I'm sure they're both hungry and I was going to swing by a fast food joint and get them something. You want to come along?" He asked.

"Of course. Is Lia going to be meeting you there or do you need to pick her up?" Tracy asked, not wanting to intrude if he'd prefer to keep his and Lia's relationship private.

Harm relaxed a bit, "Yes, I'm going to drop by the JAG office and pick her up, but I'm sure that she wouldn't mind you being there. After all, you know Captain Nakamura and you've had dealings with him on a professional level. I'm sure that she'd understand." He continued to go through his investigative case files so that he could make sure and work on them when he got home from the hospital. Harm was going to have to do his work and hope that the Captain who had taken on Animal's interim role of Chief of Staff of NAVINSGEN was up to the task of dealing with the investigations that needed doing. SECNAV wasn't happy about the shooting, neither was CNO either and that was probably what prompted the grilling from VADM Bennett.

Tracy stood quietly watching Harm do what he needed to do to clear his slate. She sighed and said finally. "You know…they are worried, but what they were doing was unwarranted. Captain Nakamura went into the situation knowing that he could potentially get injured."

"I know that, Tracy, but it doesn't make me feel any better." Harm finally said, slapping shut a file that he was looking through; he found that he needed to shunt this one over to JAG.

"I know you feel guilty for it, Harm…but it's not something that you could have prevented." Tracy stated, meeting Harm's disbelieving gaze. "Unless you're infantilizing your superior officer and thinking that he couldn't think for himself…" she maintained.

Harm said cantankerously, "I don't think that he wears diapers…"

"So why do you think you need to watch over everything that he does?"

_**National Naval Medical Center (Bethesda Naval Hospital), Bethesda, MD, 1630hrs**_

"Hey…Animal…" Animal looked up to see a tall sand-color haired man standing at the entrance of his hospital room in civvie clothes. "I heard you went n' damn near got yer ass shot off…"

"It actually was a…chest wound, but thanks…for your concern…" Animal retorted. His recovering brain synapses registered that this was Jack Keeter. "So what are you doing here?"

"Actually just was in the area and thought that I'd drop in. Harm called me earlier to let me know that you bit off a bit more than you could chew with that little shindig up in the Great Lakes…" Despite his jocular tone. Keeter was worried; Animal could tell at least that much. "Hi, Meg." Keeter grinned at Meg who was sitting in the chair close to Animal. At that, Animal inquisitively raised an eyebrow in question. "Harm tells me that he got the third degree from VADM Bennett."

"Is that so?"

"It was a black operation. Animal. And those guys don't like getting investigated by someone not in the know. You're gonna be lucky if they don't track you down and try to silence you and Harm…and anyone who gets too close." Keeter was dead serious and he locked eyes with Animal to let him know just how serious he was. "When the Iraqis had me in 1999 in their sandbox, they were playing for keeps and my superiors dealt with a couple of alphabet soup agencies to try to get something done. But they didn't do me any favors for free. Once you're in, you're in deep." Animal could tell that Keeter was trying to tell him something. "You gotta watch your back when you have to deal with these guys. Animal…" Keeter shook his head, a sorrowful expression on his face. "Once you're in deep with these guys, it's going to take a lot to get out."

"I presume you're telling me…these horror stories…" Animal said slowly. "…that you've had some experience…in having to deal with these guys?"

"Animal…trust me…you don't want to get mixed up with these guys if you can help it." Meg and Animal stared at each other with the ominous warning ringing in their ears. "The pool's deep…and if you can't swim, you're gonna drown." Animal's eyes were drawn to the bulge behind Keeter's jacket. Keeter nodded, moving his jacket aside just enough for Animal to catch a glimpse of the M9 clipped to Keeter's waist. "I swung by your place…" he pulled the other side of his jacket to reveal Animal's familiar M92FS Beretta clipped in a paddle holster to his other side, which he pulled out holster and all to tuck it behind Animal's pillow, nodding at him silently. "You need this…" he said shortly.

"I'm…not going to…ask how the hell…you know where I live…and how the hell…you got in…" Animal said soberly.

"Sweetie?" Meg asked. "Wasn't your spare M92FS in your safe?" Animal looked at her then looked at Keeter silently. "How?" Meg asked.

"His grandma's birthday..." Keeter grinned at Animal's silent question.

"I'm changing…my goddamned combination!" Animal muttered, shaking his head.

_**JAG Headquarters, Falls Church, VA, 1700hrs. **_

By the time Harm and Tracy had pulled up to the JAG HQ guard shack, It was rounding 1700 hrs. After being ushered through and finding a place to park (in the guest parking), he and Tracy headed for the door. "I think she's still here." Harm mentioned to Tracy as they walked to the door, having to return a few salutes while doing so. The elevator ride up to the office was silent. When the doors opened, he stepped out, along with Manetti. "She's at Judiciary now." Harm mentioned quietly to Tracy as they stepped through the office doors only to run into a familiar face; a Marine whom he'd thought had gone to RLSO Southwest.

"Harm?"

Harm's gaze went to the Marine's collars; on it were silver oak leaves. Which meant that he and Tracy locked up to the position of attention. "Ma'am!"

"Lieutenant Commanders!" Mac replied as she looked at the two of them. "Can I help you?"

"I was just looking for Commander Gracen." Harm said…staring straight ahead. He hadn't realized that Mac would be one grade ahead of him and that stung in terms of competitiveness between him and the Marine Lieutenant Colonel standing in front of him. The fact that Lia had her O5 wasn't so much of an ego-busting situation as he knew for a damned fact that Lia had worked hard to get where she was and that her O5 was certainly a well-deserved one. But Mac's O5 so soon after her being cited for attempted murder of her husband that she hadn't disclosed, was a stinging slap to the face. He was absolutely certain that the promotion boards had considered his discharge of an MP5 in the courtroom from few years back and that had certainly postponed his promotion for a few months while the promotion boards reviewed his current conduct. He did swear that he could see green in Mac's eyes when he had mentioned Lia's name as who he was waiting for.

"Hi…Harm." Lia's cheery voice was heard coming down the hallway from the judiciary section of the office. "Are we going up to the hospital to see Animal tonight?" She frowned a moment when she saw Harm and an Asian female Lieutenant Commander standing at attention and sure enough, Lieutenant Colonel Sarah Mackenzie was involved in the matter. "Is there something the matter? Lieutenant Colonel Mackenzie?" She asked, not particularly wanting to hear the answer.

"Well, I was just wondering why the two Lieutenant…Commanders…" Mac stated with an emphasis on the Lieutenant part of the rank. "…were wandering around the JAG office…"

"Ma'am." Harm said. "I was just waiting for you…"

"Lieutenant Colonel Mackenzie…I'll take it from here, thank you. As you were…" Lia said, as she ushered the now relaxed two junior officers to her office, giving Mac a pointed look as if to say _we're going to talk about this later! _Tracy thought that there was some tension between the Navy commander and the Marine Lieutenant Colonel.

"Are you just about finished?" Harm asked quietly as Lia shut the door and started gathering her case files putting them into her legal briefcase.

Lia continued with her gathering, looking up just long enough to say, "Just about…Harm." When she had finished, she turned to Tracy and said, "Good to see you again, Tracy. Are you coming up with us to the hospital?"

"Yes, ma'am." Tracy said. "Harm invited me to see our colleague and I figured that I would accept his offer."

"That's great." Lia replied as she gathered her light jacket and cover. "Well, I'm done. Time to go up and see Meg and Captain Nakamura."

_**National Naval Medical Center (Bethesda Naval Hospital), Bethesda, MD, 1820 hrs.**_

Animal looked up to see Harm standing at the door along with Lia and Lieutenant Commander Tracy Manetti. "Hi, you three…c'mon in…" Harm looked over to the third chair in the corner in which Keeter was sitting; while Meg was sitting right next to Animal.

"Keeter…what are you doing here?" Harm asked.

"Well, I wanted to see our ol' instructor here from RAG and see what he'd gotten himself into." Keeter replied, smirking as he saw the nonplussed look on Harm's face. "C'mon in…I need to talk to you about something." Harm and the two female officers stepped into Animal's hospital room. Keeter got up and walked over to the door and shut it for privacy. He then looked at the three of them with an expression that spoke of a serious talk forthcoming. "Harm…buddy, you and your CO stepped into some big problems…"

"Yeah, tell me about it." Harm replied.

"I've got my handler trying to take care of the situation, but…you've gotta be on your toes. Those alphabet soup agencies don't like it when people snoop around their black operations…" Harm looked at Keeter in shock.

"…handler?"

"That's right, Harm…you remember the incident in Iraq…the one that we're not supposed to talk about." Harm nodded quietly. "All I can say is that was my introduction to the world of national security." Keeter gave him a hard look which started from Harm then scanned across the room at all of them. "The guys up at Great Lakes…that black base you were on…knew that you guys were trying to find out about where the money was siphoned. And they don't like it one bit." Keeter turned to Animal. "The stuff that they were working on is so damned hush-hush…one word leaks out and a whole department can get eliminated…swept…as in no more." Keeter made a cutting motion with both hands." And if you get too close, you're going to get cleared out…cleaned." Animal sure didn't like the sound of the word _cleaned_ if that was the connotation that Keeter was attaching to it. "It means you're getting too damned close to what they don't want you to know. Are you guys getting what I'm telling you?"

Harm looked over at Animal, Lia and Meg. "So what does that mean for us?" Harm asked his old friend.

"You have two choices." Keeter said. "You can either take your chances…" He shrugged. "…or go into hiding, until we track these bastards that went rogue and shut them down. If I were you, I'd pick the option that allows you to keep breathing."

"Fuck!" Animal muttered. "…and me limping around like a lame duck." When he was angry it seemed that the brain synapses worked a hell of a lot better.

"So how are you going to explain our disappearances to our superiors?" Harm asked.

A creak of the door opening…caused Keeter to brush his hand against his jacket reaching for his weapon.

"Stand down, Keeter. I've got this…" Harm looked over at the door to see another familiar face stepping into the room. "Hi, Rabb."

"Clayton Webb…" Harm grumbled. "I hoped I'd never have to see you again…"


End file.
